Not Okay
by orphan mia
Summary: Botan is sick, and the true villains are still out there! When Koenma and the Rekai Tentei think Hiei is responsible and are chasing him, where can Hiei run to? With no one to help, Hiei and Botan are alone. HB Review please! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Not Okay : Wrong Place, Right Time

A/N: Lets see how this fic works out. This came from a video by DrowningInFlame. The song that inspired me was I'm Not Okay by My Chemical Romance. Hahaha. Yeah, I know, I'm not emo, okay? Just kidding, just kidding. Please read and give his fic a chance. I'm not sure how bizarre this is going to be. Hm... R&R!

I

"**_Onna! What the hell are you DOING?_**"

The air is cold. Not the pleasant cool, like summer. No, I mean the kind of cold where each and every hair that is standing on end on your skin is shivering. Each and every goose bump is crying. Tears from in eyes because it's so cold. That's how cold it is.

The moon is full, casting everything into a luminous light. The stars are out. And it w_as _quiet. It _was _peaceful. Not anymore. Thanks to Hiei Jaganshi.

Thanks to Hiei Jaganshi, this story starts. Thanks to Hiei Jaganshi, a soul is saved.

Thanks to Hiei Jaganshi, a demon who was in the wrong place at **_exactly _**the right time.

II

_Earlier..._

Hiei was pissed. Really, **_REALLY _**pissed. But the worst thing was, the fire demon could do nothing about it. Nothing! Not a damn thing! It made him want to scream. That's how bad his day was going.

_That low life... good for nothing...!_

The demon had woken up in a decent mood. He had heard his sister singing. He had seen her smiling as she sang to the birds. Hiei had stretched and eaten some breakfast. Nothing big. Nothing devastating.

_I'll wring his throat with my bare hands!_

Kurama didn't bother him. Yusuke and him had school. As well as the baka. Koenma had no need for the Rekai Tentei, and Mukuro had granted Hiei a two week vacation. Things were pretty good.

_It's just not possible. Physically! Or mentally! It's not even fair!_

It was around lunch when the world came swinging at Hiei with a bat. It was when Kuwabara drove from school to see her. To talk to her. To make Hiei twitch. It started off normally. Hiei, fuming because of how much of an idiot he was. But Hiei was able to deal with all those small and insignificant... or at least he **thought **insignificant little things. All those corny glances Kuwabara threw her way. All those idiotic lines and mushy faces.

It was today that Hiei was sent spiraling out of orbit when it came to his beliefs. It was when Kuwabara left and Hiei was about to stop watching that everything Hiei knew changed. It was when the baka said goodbye to the Koorime's sister that Hiei's mind was shattered.

It was when that low, shaved monkey swooped down and kissed his sister tenderly on the lips that Hiei paled. The demon shook as he watched his sister blush and close her eyes. **_NO!_** Hiei's katana was out, and he was ready. Hiei was **ready**! He flew forward, blinded with rage.

He was so close. So very close. He could have touched the nigen. But he snapped to his senses.

Sighing, Hiei sheathed his katana and vanished. He needed to get away. He needed to stay away from the two of them.

He was definitely _not _okay.

III

Botan was... decent. She had felt odd all day. _I am NOT getting sick! _She smiled as she soared through the skies. Nothing was going to bring her down to day. Nothing. It was a Friday, and Koenma was giving Botan all weekends off. _That's right! Botan gets a break! _

Botan spiraled, her blue hair enjoying the ride. She was ferrying her last soul for today. When she stepped into Koenma's office, however, she felt that her day was not near done.

"Botan, we something happened."

The ferry girl instantly was all ears and very serious.

"What is it, sir?"

The Prince gazed at a television screen.

"We picked up a surge of demonic energy in Ningenkai. It might just be one of ours over reacting. Just check it out before you go home."

Botan nodded.

"Sure."

With a curt tilt of her head, Botan was gone, using the coordinates that her boss gave her. She flew. She laughed as she plummeted from the sky, kicking up dust as she stopped, literally inches from the ground, her nose almost brushing up against a leaf. She looked around. She frowned as she found she was in an empty field. The trees were cleared in circle.

It was very stale. Something struck Botan as wrong about this place. She began to walk. _This is stupid. _Botan bit her lip as she poked around the bushes. _Why doesn't Koenma send someone else? Or Yusuke? _She heard something, and instantly her oar was flung. **Twack**! Nothing.

Botan sighed and pulled out her communicator as she picked up her oar lazily, turning her back to some trees.

"Koenma, sir, there is nothing here."

"Thanks, Botan."

Botan nodded half heartedly.

"No problem."

She clicked it shut and mounted her oar. She took a breath, allowing the air to swirl inside her nostrils. She smelled grass and dirt. She flexed her legs, ready to push off. The dirt and rocks clinked together.

Botan remembered everything.

She remembered hearing nothing.

Seeing nothing.

Speaking nothing.

But she felt it.

It was small. Just a little pinch. Botan had put it off as nothing. A dumb mosquito bite. Scratching the back of her neck, the ferry girl pushed off the ground and was off again. As if to say to any watchers, _Catch me if you can! _

Her day was going well. Decent. Nothing big. She w_as _okay.

IV

Hiei stalked the country side. He burned flowers, pretending they were a certain nigen. Finally, growing tired, her slumped with his back against a tree, sitting in the dirt. _Yukina... why do you want a baka like that? _

The demon couldn't see anything in him. Let alone the nigen race. _Weak, dumb, and they think they actually **matter**_. The worst kind of species out there.

Hiei closed his eyes.

_If I kill him... Yukina will... _She'd cry. And he would hate her brother, even if she had no idea who he really was. Hiei's fists clenched. His heart beat faster. His teeth ground together. _She will never ever find her brother! _

Hiei's eyes were still closed and slowly, the vegetation around him began to die. He **hated **himself. _How could I have been so stupid? So selfish? _His head hit the back of the tree, which was starting to turn black. **_Her brother is dead. _**

Not so far away, the ferry girl landed.

V

Botan sighed as she looked at the two story house that Koenma gave her. A birthday present. _Too big for one person. _Botan opened the door and went inside. The inside was quaint. She had a small smile on her face when she went up the stairs to her room.

_Ah... time to relax. _Botan looked up at the ceiling as the sky began to darken. She knew that it was a Friday night. Most women who looked to be her age (about sixteen, seventeen) were out and about. And Botan was here. Alone.

_But that's exactly how things will be. _A small cough. _But hey, you always have your friends. _Yeah... Botan did have her friends. The Rekai Tentei. She took in another deep breath. That was when she sat up. Her face was flushed and her eyes were becoming glassy.

Coughing. It was painful. Tears fell from her eyes. _What's going on?_

VI

Hiei opened his eyes once he felt the onna's energy. He picked himself up and began walking. _Since when does the onna show up here? _Not that the Koorime cared. No, he just was curious as to why the baka onna was here of all places.

What Hiei didn't expect was to come across a house. He looked up at he awed at the two stories. _Does Botan live alone? No... she **has **to be living with someone. _The demon shrugged and went back so the tree were his only companions.

It was dark out soon. Hiei didn't mind that he didn't return to his normal spot. His tree. To... the temple. _No way am I going back **there **any time soon. _Hiei heard the onna coughing. Frowning, the demon tried to ignore it. But it sounded terrible. Really, really painful.

She was gasping for breath. _What the hell is happening?_

VII

It started fast. Botan was so hot! She needed to cool off. Standing while ignoring the dizzy spell that hit her, she stripped off her clothes. She turned on the shower and made sure the nozzle was turned all the way to the right.

Not thinking, just wanting, the ferry girl jumped.

She waited for relief. She waited to open her mouth in satisfaction.

She got nothing.

She opened her eyes, tears spilling out as she saw steam. She backed up and screamed as she saw the water bursting into mist before it even came close to hitting her skin. No! She needed to be cooled off! NOW!

Jumping out of the shower, falling painfully on the tile, she took a towel and sloppily wrapped it around herself as she turned on the sink. **_Anything _**would be colder than her! She went to cup water in her hands.

And it wouldn't touch her. It just burst into fog.

No logic was in Botan's mind. Only panic. She was getting too hot. She was starting to see things. She was starting to sway back and forth. She was terrified.

With that, the ferry girl, only in a fluffy white towel, ran outside.

VIII

Hiei felt Botan's distress. She was horrified. Frightened. Remembering his code, Hiei quickly flitted to her house. He didn't sense any one there. He heard her screaming, sobbing through gasps of breath.

The door of the house burst open. Hiei thought he had strayed into some very, very disturbing dream. The onna... was only in a towel. The Koorime was frozen to his spot, feeling extremely awkward.

Botan... no... the onna didn't even see him, or if she did, she didn't care. She ran right past him, into the woods. Hiei was still, but soon snapped to his senses. _How stupid can she get? _The fire demon was tempted to just leave her, but he followed. He would not allow a woman to come to harm. And Botan was heading there.

Even for a nigen spirit, she sure was fast. Not that Hiei totally couldn't take her, but still. That was when the trees stopped and all was open. Hiei saw Botan slow down as they both saw a very sudden drop. A cliff.

Hiei watched as she went really close to the edge.

"**_Onna!_**" She and looked at him. Her eyes locked with his, but Hiei knew she didn't really _see _him. "**_What the hell are you DOING?_**"

She turned and looked out. She let out an amazed breath.

"Look... there's so much water. It can't... possibly all turn into vapor now..."

Hiei frowned.

"Water? Baka what water?" All he saw were the very sharp rocks at the bottom of the ledge. She looked out and rose her arms, towel slipping. "Onna! Stop!" She shook her head and leaned forward. "ONNA!"

Strong arms wrapped around her as Hiei tackled her to the ground. They both lay still. Stunned. That was when a crack was echoed throughout the open space, diving off the cliff. Hiei had been slapped.

The demon looked down to see Botan, breathing heavily and absolutely _furious. _Hiei blinked and realized that her eyes were not pink anymore. They were... black with little read lines in them. She started punching his stomach.

Hiei raised an eyebrow. _So weak. _He was about to shake her to her senses when some whispered words of desperation made their way to his ears.

"_Too hot... water... I want water... cool..."_

She was panting as her eyes leaked tears as she looked around wildly. The ferry girl looked so lost. It was sad. To most people. Hiei didn't feel anything except annoyance.

"Onna, stop this!" She didn't hear him. "Onna! You're fine! You're safe!" She began to cry harder, still not looking at him. "Stop it!"

He touched her shoulders and held her to the forest floor. She did stop. She stopped struggling, and her eyes finally met his. She felt his hand on her shoulder.

"You're cold."

Hiei, on the other hand, almost pulled his hands off of the onna. _Her skin is boiling! Why isn't she turning to ash? _The onna didn't see the look of utter confusion in his eyes. She didn't care, and her eyes closed as she lunged at him, catching him by surprise. Hiei was paralyzed as she was touched his face, his arms, as much skin as his clothes allowed. Hiei moved away from her, panting slightly.

"Onna! What are you doing?" She pouted and crawled over to him. _She's delusional. She has no idea what she is doing! _The Koorime saw her black eyes. _Is she sick? Possessed? _As she crawled, her towel slipped. Turning pink, Hiei jolted forward, catching it. She hugged him. "Get off! Get off of me!" He clawed at her, and she shook her head, her blue hair tickling him. "Onna, get off of me!"

She sighed and pulled back. Hiei noticed that her she wasn't crying and her skin was flushed anymore. She shuddered and her eyes faded back to pink. She started.

"W-what... h-h-happened?"

Hiei blinked.

"Onna... don't you... remember anything?"

She shook her head and then fainted, slumping over. She looked like she was praying.

IX

Hiei carried her. He didn't say anything to her, seeing as it was pointless. He found her room, after many failures. He **_refused _**to take away her towel. Looking away, he yanked a sheet off of her bed and draped it over her as he lay her down on the bed.

He heard her take a deep breath. Cough. And wake up. She squeaked at her condition, clenching the sheets around her. Her eyes were their original color, to Hiei's relief. Vibrant, like bubble gum.

"Hiei?"

He looked at her, not wanting to meet her eyes.

"Hn."

"What happened to me? Did you... did you... do...?"

Hiei stiffened, a pink tint of anger staining his cheeks.

"**_No, onna._**" He took a breath to calm himself. "You were only in a towel... don't ask me why."

She nodded and looked down. After a few moments of silence, she blinked.

"I remember being too hot. It was hurting me. I... I went to take a shower." Hiei didn't say anything. "That's all I can remember."

"Hn."

_So the onna doesn't remember running? Or almost jumping off a cliff? _The fire demon's thoughts were halted by a sound outside. Then a blast in the lower floor. Hiei frowned and got up, forcing the onna to her feet.

"H-Hiei?"

"Sh!" He saw some pajamas on the floor. Not breaking his gaze at the door, he threw the garments at the ferry girl. She caught them and tried to move towards the door, but Hiei yanked her to him. It was then that he realized that the towel was gone. All she had was her sheets now. "Don't move. We're leaving."

Hiei slipped his hand over her mouth as he picked her up bridal style as he opened the window. He didn't look back as he soared into the night sky, muffling the onna's screams.

As he jumped from tree to tree, he pondered things. As Botan's arms wrapped more tightly around his neck, as her body began to relax, her realized something. As the night flew by in a blur, Hiei had that gut feeling that this wasn't simply the end. He was on his way to Kurama's house. But he **knew **that it wouldn't end there.

Hiei stopped at the street and Botan's eyes widened and she whispered, her lips now free to speak.

"Are we going to Kurama?"

Hiei nodded and jumped down the street. He gritted his teeth. He didn't like this. He didn't like how the onna's eyes were black. He didn't like how she couldn't remember the events that dragged him into all of this. Botan took a deep breath. And Hiei **definitely **didn't like how all she was wearing was a sheet!

_This entire day sucks..._

X

A/N: So, what do you think? Well, I like it. Please review. I would love to know what all of you think, the good and the bad! Love you all! REVIEW!

-mia


	2. Kidnapping Botan

Not Okay : "Kidnapping" Botan

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, though I thought I was going to get more. But hey, whatever. Read and Review, and I know lots of you don't like the idea of the wrong person being blamed for a crime, but I thought this would be fun. R&R!

I

Hiei flitted with the onna in his arms. She would close her eyes sometimes, but other than that, she didn't move. Her entire body was relaxed now, getting used to him carrying her. The Koorime frowned as he found the kitsune's house.

It was quaint, two stories and it was painted a pale yellow. Hiei was hidden by the trees and all he had to do was cross the road. _Cross that road and the onna is safe. _Hiei began to walk forward. _Cross that road and you will have assistance. _The demon knew that Botan was aware of where she was. _Cross that road, and all this will be over._

Biting his lip, Hiei stepped over the guardrail. His left foot was the first to touch the asphalt, and that was when his thoughts were invaded.

**I wouldn't do that if I were you.**

Hiei stopped and looked around. His eyes were over the trees, the houses, and even the dirt. He couldn't feel energy.

**Who are you?**

The Voice laughed. Hiei didn't recognize it... and it was bothering him. To say the least.

**That's not important. What is important is that if you go to that house, I will kill the woman in your arms. **Hiei froze, invisible icicles running up and down his spine. **If you take one more step, I'll remove a body part of the woman's. I'll start with the fingers. Then I'll move to the arm. **

The demon whirled around, but made sure not to move his feet.

**What do you want?**

The Voice was silent for a moment.

**I want _her_. **

Hiei gazed down at the ferry onna. She looked up at him, and her eyes were big and she sniffed as she looked at the house and then back to Hiei's face.

"H-Hiei?"

The demon was like a statue. Cold and frozen in time and space. Botan began to move, almost sliding out of his arms.

**DON'T LET HER GO! IF YOU LET HER GO, I'LL MAKE HER SCREAM!**

Hiei gripped her tightly and pulled her to him, trying hard to ignore her racing heart and her quickening breathing.

**Fine. I've done what you've asked. What now?**

Hiei was planning how to get out of this. Botan shivered in his arms, and she was saying something. He couldn't hear her. He was waiting for an answer form the Voice.

That was when a door was opened. Hiei didn't hear it, but he did hear his best friend's voice.

"Hiei?"

The demon was pulled from his concentration and saw Kurama staring at him with wide emerald eyes. Hiei tensed and he bit his lips. The fox's eyes traveled to Botan and her dress. He went back inside and threw on a coat.

He stepped out of his doorway and began to approach.

**Stop him! **

Hiei was thrown into cold water as he opened his mouth.

"STAY AWAY!" Hiei felt Botan whimper and her grip tightened around his neck. She buried her head in his chest as she began to cry. Kurama came to a halt Hiei could see the kitsune's breath coming in short white puffs. "Please... don't come any closer."

Kurama did as he was asked.

"Hiei... what happened? What's wrong?"

The demon knew Kurama was concerned. So was Hiei.

**Don't tell him. **

Hiei remained silent as his eyes remained locked with Kurama's. There was nothing he could do. Hiei was glued to the spot.

"Hiei...?"

**Run.**

The Koorime frowned.

**What the hell are you talking about?**

The Voice took a breath.

**I said RUN! **

Without saying a word, Hiei disappeared and ran away from Kurama. His friend. The possible end to this entire situation. Gone. And Hiei was sprinting like a fugitive as he took Botan far away.

II

Botan was worn down. Her muscles were aching. _Whatever Hiei stopped me from doing must have been strenuous. _Her eyes drooped as they became a blur in the forest. _I wonder where we're going... _

She would nod off every now and then. It was only when the air got a bit warmer and the trees swayed a bit more gently that she woke up. She saw the yellow house and the familiar street. They were at Kurama's.

Hiei hopped up on the guardrail and stepped down from it as smoothly as he could. Botan felt her heart swell with a mixture of guilt and thankfulness. _He hasn't complained once... and he's doing all this for me... a woman that he hates..._

He began walking across the street, and suddenly, he stopped. Botan jerked forward. She felt a chill engulf her body as she looked up at Hiei's face. His face was stone cold but his eyes were flaring with rage that was just _begging _to be unleashed.

"Hiei...?"

She licked her lips as he looked down at her, but his mind wasn't all there. Terror shot through Botan's veins and she did the only thing her body would tell her to do. Run. Just get to the door, and everything will be alright.

When she was almost out of his arms, he pulled her back roughly, almost ripping the sheet. It was when Kurama came out that Hiei screamed at him to stop and not to come any closer. Botan started to cry. _Something is wrong... what's happening?_

She needed to be close to something. Anything. And since Hiei was around and she couldn't go anywhere else, she crawled up into him. She didn't even flinch when he began to run again. _Why are we running? _Her eyes opened. _What are we running from?_

III

Kurama woke early, his eyes opening slowly. He could feel a familiar demonic energy outside. For a moment he was a bit wary, but then he realized just who it was. _Hiei... _Stretching lazily, Kurama got up. His red hair was a bit messy and he was still in his boxers and a "wife- beater'" tank top.

That was when he picked up a weaker spirit energy. Kurama opened the door. What he saw didn't register.

Hiei was there. His cloak was on, and he was dressed in his usual garb. The expression on his face was the same of a man with a gun to his head. A bit angry, but **_extremely _**wary. But that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was that Botan was in his arms.

She had just woken up, it was apparent by her glassy eyes and frizzy hair. _But why is Hiei carrying her? _Another wrong point in the picture was what she was wearing. If Kurama was correct, which he always was, she was wearing nothing but the white sheet that was wrapped around her.

"Hiei?"

Hiei snapped from his anger at _something _or _someone _that was in sight. Or maybe he was angry with himself, Kurama didn't know. His entire body tensed and he gritted his teeth.

"STAY AWAY! Please... don't come any closer."

Kurama flinched at the stone and menace behind his voice.

"Hiei... what happened? What's wrong?"

The fire demon stood still for a long moment, not speaking. Kurama saw that Botan was crying now, shivering with fear. Hiei bit his lips, and his eyes met Kurama's. The world stood still for those short hundredths of a second. The kitsune was so confused as he stared into Hiei's eyes. _Why is Hiei with Botan? Why is she crying? Why is she only wearing a sheet? Why–?_

And then, just like that, his two friends disappeared.

Kurama was alone, still standing just slightly outside of the doorway. Botan's breath still hung in the air, the clouds still hovering for a moment. Hiei's footprints were still in the dirt behind the guardrail. Kurama didn't _want _to think. His brain didn't _want _to tell him what the obvious pointed out.

Pulling out his pocket communicator, Kurama dialed Koenam's number, his fingers shaking.

"Koenma?" A pause. "Yes, I'm aware of the early time. Yes, I understand that you were sleeping, but I think you should listen to me, sir." The kitsune took a shaking breath as his hands shook slightly as he looked off into the horizon. "Hiei was just here... and in his arms was Botan."

IV

_YUSUKE! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! I NEED YOU IN REKAI **NOW!**_

The ex-spirit detective jolted up from his sleep. Keiko moaned and blinked as she was jerked along with him.

"Yusuke, what is it?"

She bit down a yawn as she began to slide out of bed, but Yusuke grabbed her arm and pulled her back to bed. He looked around the room.

"I don't believe this shit..."

Pulling on his boxers, the detective began to get dressed.

"Yusuke! What's going on?"

Yusuke turned to his mate, smiling a bit.

"The toddler." Yusuke held his shirt in his mouth as he tugged on his pants. "Probably just discovered that he doesn't need diapers anymore and wants to tell everyone."

Keiko smiled lazily and snugged into the warm covers.

"Hurry back."

Yusuke kissed her gingerly on the lips.

"Of course."

Then he disappeared.

Yusuke yawned when he found himself in Koenma's office. He saw that Kurama and Kuwabara were already there. The fox wouldn't meet anyone's eyes and he kept on biting his lower lip.

Kuwabara, on the other hand, was fighting back tears. His face was red with rage as he shook. He grabbed Yusuke by the shoulders.

"URAMESHI! BOTAN'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!"

Yusuke frowned, Botan might as well have been his sister.

"Where's Hiei? We'll get started as soon as the old team is back, okay Kuwabara?"

Kurama's shoulders shot up, and his hair fell over his eyes. Kuwabara finally began to shed tears, and Koenma was the only one who was able to answer the ex-detective. His voice was unusually cold and not screechy or nasally.

"Yusuke, Hiei is the one who kidnapped Botan."

The blood drained away from Yusuke's face, leaving a chalky color behind.

"W-what?"

Kurama finally spoke, still refusing to face any of them.

"Hiei was at my house. He told me to stay away from him, and in his arms was Botan. He left shortly after that..."

Yusuke could not... would not believe. Sure, the shrimp would get ticked at the ferry girl once and a while, but kidnapping? It wasn't logical. Hiei wouldn't do that! Yusuke was sure of it!

"How can you just say that? Hiei wouldn't do that!" The room was silent. "Sure, he had his annoying moments, but COME ON! He was our friend, dammit!"

Koenma sighed.

"I'm sorry." Yusuke felt tears gathering in his eyes, his world spiraling. "We've tried to contact him using our minds and his Jagan Eye. He pushes us away, telling us not to interfere." The Prince took a slow breath, sad and almost hopeless. "It's obvious, Yusuke. You can see that."

Yusuke sniffed and wiped his eyes roughly. _But... but... _He was floundering for something... **_anything _**that could prove Hiei innocent. There was nothing.

"What..." Yusuke took a breath, trying to gain control of his emotions. "What do you want us to do, sir?"

Koenma was deadly serious.

"Find her. Bring her back to me. Hiei as well."

The three men nodded, and Kurama whispered.

"Come on, I can track him if I get a lead on his energy."

Yusuke felt sick. He wanted to vomit.

"He can only run for so long."

V

Hiei stopped, panting. His legs... they HURT! The muscles were crying, begging him to stop. His arms were shaking, and he wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. His breath caught, and he started to hyperventilate.

Staggering, Hiei dropped to his knees and leaned back so he didn't fall on the onna. She was still crying, but not nearly as hard as before. He closed his eyes and he continued to lose control of his inhales.

"Hiei?" Botan, wait... the onna left his arms. Judging by the sounds that entered Hiei's ears, she was fixing the sheet. _Did I mess it up...? Crap. _"Hiei! Stop it!" Did she think he was breathing this way on **_purpose_**? "STOP IT!"

He fell backwards and his legs twitched. _I really shouldn't have run that fast for that long... _His arms were limp at his sides.

"QuIet, onNA."

His breathing made him say certain parts of words louder than he intended. Botan was moving around frantically. Once, he thought he felt her sheet brush against his arm. But maybe he was just delusional. After all, the pins and needles were already beginning to emerge in his legs and arms. Soon his whole body will be consumed. _If I stop breathing so fast... but I can't stop._

"Stop! You have to stop!" _I can't stop, baka onna. _"Please... Hiei..." Some tears fell onto his face. _Stop crying, onna. _She began to fidget and he heard her talking softly to herself. She was shaking. "I'm sorry."

_Sorry for wh–?_

**_SLAP!_**

Hiei's eyes opened. Everything was blurry for a bit because his blood red eyes were struggling to focus. He saw her peering over him. Her face was bright red and but at the same time she was trying to smile. That was when Hiei realized why.

"I'm not..." He took a slow breath. "Breathing too fast..."

Botan grinned, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry... it was the only thing I could think of."

There was a silene and Hiei sat up and began to massage his legs, easing the feeling back into them. His brows were furrowed as he thought of what he could possibly do.

"Onna, did you piss anyone off lately?"

The ferry girl blinked and bit her lips.

"What? No."

Hiei hissed as he hit a sore muscle. _Damn it..._

"Well, you've got people after you." He moved to his arms, and he was surprised to find an arm had popped out of its socket. Grunting and squeezing his eyes shut, Hiei popped it back in. "Do you have _any _idea who it could possibly be?"

Botan withdrew and lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap.

"No..."

Hiei hissed as he tried to stand, but he faltered. Instantly, Botan was under him, supporting him with his arm around her shoulder. He didn't bother snapping at her for touching him. At the moment, that was _f**ar **_from important.

"Great." They began to walk slowly. Botan would stop occasionally to tug up the sheet, and that was when Hiei remembered the pajamas. "Onna, do you still have those clothes with you?" She nodded. Hiei stopped and pushed himself off of her, leaning against a tree. "Put them on."

She stood still, and then moved so she was behind a bigger tree that was surrounded by some bushes. She soon reappeared in the dark blue pajamas. She had the sheet in her hand.

"What should I do with this?"

"Leave it. We don't need it." Botan dropped the sheet and ran to her companion, slipping under him again and they began their quest. Hiei let out a humorless laugh. "That is the second time you've slapped me today."

VI

Botan flushed at the statement.

"Really? When did I slap you before?"

Hiei kept walking.

"Earlier. When I first found you." His voice darkened. "You don't remember."

A silence.

"Hiei?"

"Hn."

"How bad is this?" She wasn't answered. "I mean... should I be worried?"

Hiei drew in a slow breath.

"Onna... I don't know. I'll tell you when I figure all this out."

The ferry girl nodded.

"Okay, but will you tell me what happened at Kurama's?"

Hiei decided to play dumb.

"What do you mean, baka onna?"

Botan gave him a playful shove, making him growl.

"Come on, you scared me back there! I actually thought... well... I didn't know what was going on."

"Later onna. Not now." He coughed a bit. "Tonight, when we make camp."

VII

Amiri broke his connection with Hiei. The Chosen One. His dark purple hair fell in front of his golden eyes. He was wearing a black suit. He pushed his hair away so the eye in the center of his forehead was visible.

"Amiri?" The young demon turned toward a portion of the darkness. "Is it all going smoothly?"

"Of course, sir."

Another demon stepped forward, the grey light hitting him softly.

"Good."

Amiri brushed off his shoulders.

"Malik, why are we letting him live?"

Malik turned, his long black hair was stringy. His eyes were not visible as he smiled, his fangs showing.

"To see if he really is ready to find out just what his real purpose is."

Amiri smiled giddily like a little school boy, clapping his hands together.

"Cool! This will be fun to watch."

Malik was silent as he walked out. _Hiei... time will tell if you really are as strong as the Three Worlds think you are. _

VIII

A/N: Hey dudes! Did you like this chapter? I hope you did. Please... PLEASE review if you read this chapter. I want to know what you liked, or didn't like about it. Thanks! Peace out!

-mia

p.s. Amiri is Arabic for Prince, and Malik is Arabic for King


	3. Campfires and Bounty Hunters

Not Okay : Campfires and Bounty Hunters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I was hoping for more, but whatever. At least I got reviews, right? Okay, so keep reading and reviewing, I'm hoping to get some more character building in. R&R!

I

Hiei and Botan stopped walking when it was too dark to see five inches in front of their faces. Well, Botan couldn't see, but Hiei probably could. He tried walking, and it turned out he only had a minor limp. At least that was what he told the ferry onna.

He gathered a few sticks and threw them in the center of a very small clearing. It wasn't noticeable enough to really draw attention. They were far from actual civilization. The fire demon put his clawed and on the onna's shoulder, pulling her back a bit.

"Onna."

She was just finished back stepping when he snapped his other fingers. A fire erupted, blowing Botan's blue hair back. The Koorime watched as her eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed with the sudden warmth and her tremors ceased. Of course, there were side effects.

One, the onna gasped at the temperature change. Two, the feeling and use of her knees vanished. Hiei caught her and brought her a bit closer to the fire, situating her before sitting beside her. Not too close. Not too far away.

"So... what happened?"

From a distance, this scene would have struck the viewer as cute or sentimental. The flickering glow of the fire and the two companions talking in hushed voices to one another. To the viewer, they _must _be friends.

"Hn." Hiei didn't _want _to tell her everything. He knew he _had _to. To admit that Hiei Jaganshi had become weak. "I heard a voice... in my head."

The ferry onna turned to look at him, her hair still down.

"Like when you use telepathy with me?"

The demon nodded.

"Whoever it was... well, they **have **to have a Jagan Eye. But this person's... it's different from mine." Hiei frowned, still staring into the fire. "This guy told me to run." He looked at the ferry onna out of the corner of his eye. "They wanted you. They threatened to kill you if I didn't cooperate."

A very long silence. Hiei was surprised that she didn't cry. She just nodded and put her hands towards the fire, warming them.

"Oh..." Hiei didn't nod. He took a slow breath. "What do you think Kurama is going to tell Koenma?" The demon frowned. "Do you think... he'll get the wrong idea?"

_Fuck. _Panic was not an emotion that Hiei was regularly affiliated with, but he recognized when it pumped through him. _I didn't think about **that**. _Botan watched his cold and unmoving face as the light flickered off of it. _But Kurama... surely he wouldn't accuse **me**. We're friends! _

Hiei knew the fox well. Kurama wouldn't got to Koenma right away, crying about how Hiei betrayed them all. No. He would think about it first. _But what evidence does he have that supports my innocence? _After Kurama thought about it, he would go to the brat Prince. Out of desperation. Then the Rekai Tentei would be called for the loss of the precious ferry onna.

**_They are going to search for me like dogs._**

Hiei suddenly drew his hand out in front of him, extinguishing the fire. Botan didn't have time to let out a noise of confusion before Hiei grabbed her and jumped up to the nearest tree. _DAMMIT! Why the hell didn't I think of this before?_

He closed his eyes and expanded his mind. His Jagan glowed as she searched for Yusuke's, Kuwabara's, and Kurama's energy. His eyes opened slowly, gravely, when he found them just two days distance away. They were trailing him.

"We leaving."

Botan didn't say anything. She could only look at the smoke curling up into the air. Like a hand that reaching. Reaching for something with one last attempt at victory. Her pink eyes closed, a few tears leaking out as she was swept away in Hiei's arms.

Hiei could smell her tears. _The real danger is just beginning. _He could only jump because of his leg. He had to keep himself moving. He couldn't be caught by the Rekai Tentei. _Running. I'm scared of the team **I **was on! _His white scarf trailed behind him and loosened. He clamped a hand on it, and Botan soon replaced his hand with hers. She understood now. _Nothing can be left behind. _The stars were their only source of light that night. The ferry girl's hand had the scarf in her fist. _I can't fight them. The Team or my enemy. _He didn't even know **who **his enemy was. _I can only run._

II

Yusuke was silent as they traveled back to Kurama's house. Kuwabara was rambling on, saying 'How could Hiei be a traitor all these years?' and 'Sure he was mean, but not **that **mean.' Yusuke really had to try hard not to knock his best friend out.

Kurama was silent as well. They stopped only to pack for food. Other than that, the Rekai Tentei left immediately. The Spirit detective couldn't grasp it. _My pal, Hiei! Sure, Botan and him weren't tight or anything, but Christ! He would never harm a woman!_

It just didn't make sense.

"Kurama?"

The fox looked up, his eyes still watery.

"What?"

Yusuke had never heard Kurama's voice so hoarse before. The two fell behind Kuwabara, who had finally shut up.

"_Why would Hiei do this? Now? Of all times?_"

Kurama rubbed his eyes, murmuring some comment on how bright the sun was.

"_I know. I tried, Yusuke, I really did._" Kurama bit his lower lip, stopping for a few moments. "_He wasn't himself when he was at my house._" Another long pause. "_He looked scared. As if he was at gunpoint, the end of it just touching the back of his skull._"

Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets.

"_If he was really kidnapping Botan, then why would he stop to wake you up first?_"

Kurama's eyes lowered to the ground.

"_Yes. I know. But... then again, why did he run from me?_" Yusuke couldn't talk. "_He could have thrown Botan at me for all I care. But he didn't._" Kurama's throat tightened. "_He ran. And only guilty men run._"

Yusuke hissed, causing Kurama to look up.

"_Yeah, or scared ones._"

Kuwabara let out a shout, startling the other two men.

"Hey guys! Take a look at this!"

He ran forward to a bush. His big and clumsy hands yanked at the vegetation until he came up with his prize. He brought back a white bed sheet. Kurama's mouth went dry.

"Botan was wearing that when I last saw her."

Yusuke scrunched up his nose.

"Are you saying that she's **_naked _**now?" All Kurama could do was shrug. Yusuke threw up his arms in frustration. "Great! Botan could be nude and Hiei is her freaking captor!"

"Wait." Kurama's smooth voice interrupted Yusuke. "Hiei would _never _allow Botan to be without clothes." The fox frowned, deep in thought. "So he had to have had an extra pair with him." For the first time since Yusuke had seen him, Kurama's face took on a cheery overtone. "Why would a kidnapper take clothes with him? Since when would a kidnapper be that considerate?"

Kuwabara, of course, ruined it.

"The shrimp could have lent her that overcoat."

The small smile that w_as _on Kurama's face shattered. His shoulders slackened and he paled once more.

"Y-yeah. Or he could have done that."

III

Amiri smirked as he tailed Yusuke and the rest of the gang. His purple hair sighed with the wind. His Jagan Eye only hurt a bit. He had overused it a bit. _No matter. Everything is going just as Malik planned._

The demon sighed, bored already. This "amazing" Rekai Tentei really was taking their time catching the infamous Hiei Jaganshi. His golden eyes widened as he watched emotions pass over the team members faces.

_Could it be that he is their friend?_

That would be rather interesting. To think, Hiei Jaganshi, the Forbidden Child, having friends. Amiri twisted a purple lock around his finger. Maybe the teammates were merely delusional. Did Hiei lead them on?

Amiri closed his eyes, leaving the Rekai Tentei. When he opened his golden orbs he saw Hiei. Right below him. _So close... within striking distance... _

The demon scoffed as he saw the thief jumping from tree to tree, the onna in his arms. Amiri licked his lips, a bit disappointed to see that she was no longer in her sheet. Her blue hair was down, and her eyes were closed as she held on tighter to the fire demon.

Amiri stumbled on a branch, lashing out so he could catch himself. His suit was **almost **scratched! His golden eyes narrowed as he massaged his forehead, easing the pain in his Jagan Eye. Saliva was building up inside of his mouth and he tried to spit it out. He couldn't. For a short moment, panic seeped through him.

It vanished. Almost instantly, Amiri was back to normal. He remembered his mission. His duty.

His lips went slack and he shook out his limbs. His purple hair shifted as his eyes drifted closed. His hands moved slowly, as if he were practicing some ancient form of dance. His movements stopped when his right hand was out in front of him, his left bending to form an X of his two arms.

His Jagan Eye glowed. His skin changed, skinny black lines shooting across the peach color. His lips curved upwards, his breath visible in the night air. One word left his mouth in white puff.

"_Botan..._"

IV

Botan jerked. Hiei didn't notice it. Her mouth opened in a silent shriek as liquid fire replaced her blood. Tears fell out of her eyes, but instantly evaporated when they touched her skin. Her vision flashed white, pain stabbing her head. When she was able to scream, it was too late.

Botan was gone.

_The ferry girl found herself in darkness. She opened her eyes. There wasn't any pain anymore. At the same time, however, she could not relax. The hairs on the back of her neck were stiff._

"_**Ah, we finally meet.**"_

_A voice was heard. Botan frowned. Something was off about it. It didn't sound real. The best way she could explain it was that it didn't have a second "bounce" or vibration. It sounded... flat. Artificial. _

"_Hello?"_

_Emerging from the surrounding shadows stepped a tall, handsome man. His features were delicate. His purple hair looked so soft. His eyes were wide and genuine. He **looked **nice._

"_**Botan, right? I've been wanting to speak to you for so long.**"_

_The ferry girl was soothed by his puzzling voice. Her pink eyes drooped as she stood slowly._

"_Yes... that's me." The two stepped closer to each other. "Why do you want to talk to me?"_

_Her voice was barely a whisper. Her head was foggy. She felt as if she was on some sort of drug, where she couldn't feel her arms and legs. All she could do was act. Breathe. Live. _

"_**You're a very special girl, Botan.**" She couldn't talk. The man touched the side of her face. His hand was cold. "**I tried to contact you before.**"_

_Botan felt as if that were the most amazing thing she had heard. What was wrong with her...?_

"_Y-you did?"_

_The man nodded slowly, smiling. A seductive and charming smile. Hugh Grant maybe? Or maybe... Johnny Depp... something was off..._

"_**I was interrupted. Rudely.**" Botan shook her head, agreeing with his irritated eyes. "**That annoying demon friend of yours...**"_

_Botan stepped back. This actions seemed to startle Amiri._

"_Who, Hiei?" She started to slip back into her dream state, but she caught herself, pinching herself. "He's not annoying! He's smart!"_

_The man cupped her face, and he was about to **kiss **her! Botan might have wanted that before, but not now! She shoved him away, and as soon as he was off of her, she slapped him. Hard. _

"_**Onna...**" His cheek was red, and his gold eyes gleamed. The ferry girl gasped in horror as skinny black lines appeared all over his skin. Suddenly, she saw his fangs. Now she could see the insane gleam in his eyes. "**You're going to regret that.**"_

_Botan couldn't move. All she could do was tense up and shrink away from him as he came closer. **HieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHieiHiei!**_

_Nothing was right. She wanted to wake up from his terrible nightmare. Deep down, she knew this was real. **Save me! **_

_He hit her. And it hurt. Her jaw was burning. _

_**Please!**_

_Another smack. He left a small cut with his nails. _

_**HIEI!**_

_She was punched in the stomach. The man was about to strike her again, but stopped. Botan opened her eyes. Her entire body was shaking, her image flickering before her own eyes. She looked up at the man. _

"_You won't win."_

_She didn't really know why she said that at the time. Her pink eyes were defiant as she disappeared, the pain dulled by the satisfaction of the look of horror on his face. _

V

Hiei tripped. He fell as gracefully as he could and protected the onna's body with his own. She had squeezed him. Hard. The demon pushed her off of him, his muscles tensing as she fell on the leaves.

Her eyes were black, the red lines thicker now. She looked to be crying, only steam would come out of her eyes. Her mouth was open as her chest heaved. She just stared ahead, at the tops of the trees.

"Onna!" She was jerking a bit, but she didn't answer him. It was like she didn't even hear his voice. "ONNA!"

That was when she gasped. Her mouth stretched open even more, her face paling.

"HIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEIHIEI!"

Over and over his name was screamed by her. She only stopped when a red welt appeared out of nowhere on her flawless features. Next a small cut happened. Hiei's Jagan opened and he pulled her to him. His forehead touched hers as he gritted his teeth.

**_LET ME IN!_**

Her stomach was bruising. Hiei squeezed her, his arms tightening around her. Her breath was fanning across his face.

**_ONNA!_**

She was sobbing his name. Begging him. Pleading for him to save her, even though to her, he was nowhere in sight.

**_BOTAN!_**

Her eyes flashed open. Hiei couldn't see this, his eyes closed and his forehead against hers. She coughed. Soon he found her arms to be wrapped around him. For a frightening flash, Hiei thought that she was still not herself and was going to attempt to kill him.

"H-hiei!" The Koorime couldn't move. He was on the ground, and all of the sensations were overwhelming to him. Her tears hitting his skin. Her own body warmth mingling with his. But mostly, it was her tears... "I was s-s-so s-scared!"

Hiei sat up, his clawed hands touching her shoulders.

"Onna, what happened to you?"

The cut on her cheek was still bleeding. She blinked, her bubble-gum pink eyes shimmering.

"I-I don't know..." She bit her lip. "I think I was under a... spell..." She stopped, obviously thinking that the term was absurd. Hiei wasn't laughing. "Well... there was a really handsome man... but... he tried to k-kiss me."

Hiei's crimson eyes widened.

"He _what, _onna?"

Botan's eyes left Hiei's and traveled to her hands.

"Triedtokissme!" She rushed it, not wanting to say it again, her face turning red. "_Anyway_, he was hitting me... did it show up? Or was I dreaming?"

Hiei stood, pulling her up. He pulled up her shirt a bit, and a bruise was already growing on her stomach. _Shit. _

"You weren't dreaming." He picked her up again and they were soon in the trees. Hiei didn't want to stay still too long. Yusuke and the others would catch up if they waited too long. "We've got to keep running."

Botan nodded, her arms around his neck.

"Do you think... I did something to deserve this?"

Her one finger wiped away at some blood on her cheek. Hiei was silent for a few minutes.

"No."

That was all. He didn't elaborate. He just kept moving. Keep running.

Hiei didn't look behind him. He could feel Yusuke's energy. They were about to reach the campfire. Hiei wished that his damn leg didn't hurt so much! He would have been able to move so much faster. He wondered what Kurama was thinking. He hoped that they had their doubts. _Kami, I'm on their team! _

Hiei didn't take time to breathe.

_I have to keep running._

VI

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Keep on leaving them! What did you think? Good, bad, ugly, or gorgeous? I would love to know! Thanks again, don't forget to leave a review! Hahahha!


	4. Dead Legs

Not Okay : Dead Legs

A/N: Wow. Those reviews came in an explosion. Hahahha. Thanks, I really do appreciate them. Well, I've been thinking of this story. It really does interest me, so please keep reading and reviewing! Peace!

I

Judy Earl was sitting at the desk to a hotel. Her hair was long and black, and being thirty, she believed that she had seen everything. She hadn't been surprised since college, and that was a while ago. She swore she never heard the door open. She never heard a thing. Until the visitor decided to make his presence known.

"Excuse me." Judy jerked suddenly, adrenalin coming to the rescue. Her lips opened as she looked up. Nothing. She squinted when she heard the voice again. "Down here."

Ms. Earl stood and looked down, astonished to see a shorter man. His eyes were dark red, and judging by the circles under them, he hadn't slept in a while. Judy tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she straightened her back, a bit ashamed that she was scared by the likes of him. That was when she saw the woman in his arms, her eyes closed.

"Who is **_that_**?"

Her voice shook as it cracked. The man glared at her.

"My friend. We need a room for the night." Judy was about to open her lips again before the man interrupted her, his low tenor voice breaking the early air. "Here, this should cover it."

He pressed eight one hundred dollar bills into the palm of her hand. Judy stared wide eyed at the cash.

"S-sir..."

"Keep it. All of it. Just give me a room. Now."

Judy held her tongue. She would be obedient for that money.

"Follow me."

She led the man and sleeping woman to an elevator, where she gave him a key with the room labeled on it. It was one of those card keys.

"Hn."

Judy bit her lip.

"Have a nice night, sir."

The man rolled his eyes just before the door closed.

Judy closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. _Geez... this is going to be a long day. I can tell. _She walked slowly over to her desk again. She sat down in the chair, exhaling loudly. That was when she saw her money. Her money that was now nothing but leaves from a tree.

She was about to hit the silent alarm when a sharp flash of white light flickered behind her eyes. Her eyes rolled into the back of her skull as her forehead hit the desk. Her lips were open as she saw a man with three eyes. He was short. He had black hair.

**Judy. You will forget everything that happened here. **

Her lips moved with his words. A little notion in the back of her mind wondered what kind of accent he had.

_Yes... I will..._

**Nothing happened. **

_Nothing happened. Nothing._

**You will wake up in a few hours. **

_Back to work in a few hours..._

**You never saw me.**

_I never saw the short man with the lady..._

**You never were given money.**

_I didn't get the fake money..._

**And Room D56 is closed for repairs. No one under _any _circumstances is to enter that room.**

_Room D56 is broken..._

**Good. Sleep.**

Without a second of hesitation, Judy Earl did just that.

II

Hiei closed his mind connection with the onna. _Hn. Nigens are so easy to fool. _He looked around in the room he was given. It was nice. Really big. Nice walls. Plenty of space. He walked forward, inspecting it.

There was only one, large, soft looking bed. A small problem. The infamous Hiei Jaganshi pulled the sheets back and placed the ferry onna under them. She let out a soft moan, curling over to one side.

Hiei sat on the window sill. His crimson eyes scanned the area. _We're safe. For now at least. _He had gotten them far enough away. He hadn't slept for four days. He just ran. He actually had to knock the onna out so she wouldn't move more than necessary. He knew she would complain, to say the least, but he had to do it.

The fire demon activated his Jagan Eye to check up on the Rekai Tentei. In a fierce glow, he found them.

They were walking silently. Hiei's eyes narrowed. _They're still on my trail. _He had about a week on them. Hiei gazed at their faces. None of them looked close to happy. The Koorime watched Kurama, his slow walk, his slumped shoulders.

_Come on, fox. It's just me. _

That was when the kitsune's head snapped up. His green eyes were wide as he stared right where Hiei's mind was. The demon jumped a little and instantly closed his Jagan Eye, panting a bit.

Hiei gazed at the onna.

_Baka. _The bruise on her face was darker. He growled. _And you thought that an onna like **you **could possibly deserve this. _

Her blue hair was a bit greasy, seeing as they both haven't showered in several days. Her breathing was slow. Just watching the rise and fall of her chest was hypnotizing the demon into **considering **sleep.

_Don't close your eyes, Hiei!_

His head rolled back.

_Don't you **dare **go to sleep!_

His arms were numb. His legs weren't even there.

**_YOU BASTARD! DON'T YOU GO TO SL– _**

III

Yusuke and the others were frustrated and tired. They had been at this for four days now, and they hadn't come close to him. Kurama said he couldn't find Hiei's energy, which meant he was far away.

_Wonderful. Fan-freaking-tastic!_

The detective shoved his hands in his pockets. The only lead they got was an abandoned fire. The semi-burned pieces of wood indicated that the fire was put out immediately. Something else that made Yusuke squirm.

_The shrimp knows that we're coming for him._

He could barely think those words. It didn't seem right. He had already fought the demon. Back when he was bad. He was nauseous. He didn't want to **_believe _**that Hiei had taken up his old habits again.

Kurama was getting worse. And Kuwabara was starting to notice, and that was saying **a lot**.

The kitsune was getting thinner, and Yusuke knew he wasn't eating. His skin was clammy, and he wasn't sleeping. One night, when they stopped to take a rest, Yusuke woke up to short, frantic breaths.

In the moonlight, he saw Kurama crying. Yusuke couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. All he could do was watch in silent horror.

Kurama was _crying._

His red hair was covering his face, but his feminine hands were clenched in fists, rubbing at his eyes. Kurama was trying to stop, his soft hiccups telling the detective that. His cheeks were red, almost like the skin was raw.

Yusuke stood, without thinking, and pulled Kurama into a friendly embrace. Kurama never spoke a word. Not once. All he could do was clutch onto Yusuke Urameshi like a small boy would his mother.

Kuwabara was even getting a bit down on himself. He no longer bashed Hiei. Yusuke was walking ahead of them when he was thinking about all this when the Prince of Hell showed up.

"Yusuke! Get a move on! Stop shuffling your feet!"

His nasally voice, that bratty nature. Yusuke's frayed nerves and shot brain couldn't take it. It was like one second, Koenma was yapping away, and the next, he was sprawled out on the ground a few feet away, a red welt swelling on his cheek.

"Don't... tell me... to move FASTER!" Koenma was speechless. "We've been through hell, Koenma." Kurama gazed at the detective, his eyes shimmering. "I don't think Hiei could do something like this! How can you... how can you...?"

He couldn't finish. The Prince stood, his knees still a tad shaky.

"Yusuke..." The Prince closed his eyes. "I understand. If there's a _chance_ that Hiei is innocent... you know I would jump on it right away." He sighed. "The thing is... we've got nothing." His brown eyes opened. "Just capture him. Bring him in. We'll see what he has to say for himself. Okay, Yusuke?"

The rest of the gang nodded. Yusuke looked away.

"Sure."

IV

Malik glided across the hotel floor. The woman at the front was still knocked out. He drifted through the floor. He arrived in the room of Hiei and Botan.

His long black hair trailed behind him, his muscles tensed as he suppressed his demonic energy. He stopped at the bed, gazing at the blue haired onna. She really was beautiful. _Hiei does have good taste in women after all._

He brushed some hair out of her face. She shivered and brought the sheets up closer to her face. Malik moved on.

His pale face gazed at the demon. Hiei Jaganshi. The one and only infamous thief of Makai.

Malik tilted his head to the side. _Finally we meet. _His hand reached out. _It's been a while. _His nails brushed Hiei's face, earning a deep, lethal growl emit from his throat.

_I see. You still need some pushes._

His gaze turned back the onna. The onna who was Chosen. His eyes narrowed, and he vanished, just in time to hear her _scream..._

V

Botan woke up, her throat frozen in a shriek of terror. Her eyes were wide. _Get out! Get out! Get out! **GET OUT!**_

She gasped for air, and it felt like she was on _fire! _Her skin was burning as tears flowed down her face. Her heart was beating so hard she was afraid that her ribs were going to break through her skin.

Botan couldn't see anything. She only felt the _pain. _

Until she felt cold. She felt the chill of something... cool. Her eyes shifted back and forth. She heard something, but it was muffled. Fuzzy. Incoherent. All that mattered was that something cold was touching her. And she wanted more. Needed more.

Her hands shot out, latching onto cloth that was in the way. The muffled sounds grew a bit louder, but that wouldn't stop her. Nothing could stop her. She ripped the cloth.

The ferry girl was savage. Her mouth never opened, her eyes burning, staring fiercely at nothing in particular. Finally, she hit gold. Freezing. Despite the hands that kept her away, pushed her away, she pulled through. She pressed her face to it, letting her body shudder as it cooled off. She almost expected an explosion of steam to erupt around her as she sighed with relief.

Botan blinked. Her eyes were able to focus. Her ears were able to digest sound. She heard a low muttering.

"It's going to be okay, onna." Very soft. One might suggest gentle. "Don't die. Please... don't die."

Botan lifted her head up, her blue hair falling in front of her eyes. It was surreal, hearing such desperate words from the cold mouth of Hiei Jaganshi. Her pink eyes landed on his shirt, which was torn open.

"H-Hiei?" He twitched. "I'm okay." He just stared at her. "It's okay."

His brow was furrowed.

"Are you okay?" She nodded. "Are you **_sure_**?"

Botan bit her bottom lip.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." She looked down at his chest. There were some scratches on it. "What happened to you?"

Hiei glared at what looked to be his hands.

"You don't remember?"

"N-no."

He sighed, his head rolling back.

"Bo-onna... you did this."

Botan looked at her hands. Under her fingernails were bits of skin and cloth.

"B-but... why...? Why did you let me do that to you...?"

Hiei looked away from her questioning eyes. The ferry girl didn't notice that his hands grasped her arms tightly.

"Because, it wouldn't have mattered." His eyes moved down to meet hers. "In the state that you were in, nothing would have stopped you from getting to your goal. You would have fought me until you were unable to or I killed you."

Botan bit her lip.

"A-and w-what was my g-goal?"

Hiei moved so that she was sitting beside him. He ran his fingers over his tell toned stomach. He wasn't bleeding, but his skin was still raw, pink lines running across his muscles. His voice was low and faint, like he didn't want to admit the truth, but he had to.

"My skin." Botan's eyes widened. Hiei frowned. "Your goal was... my skin."

VI

Hiei woke up to screaming. He stood up too fast, his left leg going limp as soon as he applied weight to it. He fell to the floor, dragging himself to the bed, then pulling himself up. What he saw was not what he wanted to see.

The onna was arching off the bed, her tears streaming down her eyes. Her blue hair was sprawled across the pillow. Her eyes were fading into the black that spelled out trouble. When the Koorime touched her, he pulled back.

_She **burned **me!_

However, once his skin met hers, she jerked violently. She was still for a few seconds before her slender hands shot out, grabbing his clothes. Hiei tried to scream at her to stop. To wake up. To return to the onna that he knew.

The ferry girl never heard him. Even when his strong arms pushed her back, she fought him. She hissed viciously, spit flying out of her mouth. She scratched him, ripping apart his shirt like a savage beast.

It was only when she realized she was touching his skin, not removing another layer of cloth did she calm down. Her eyes closed as she embraced the fire demon, who refused to move. He knew it would be futile if he tried to anyway.

When she regained consciousness, she didn't remember a thing. Hiei had to explain what she did to him. It was a bit embarrassing, admitting to the fact that he stood and did _nothing_ to stop her.

After a few minutes of silence, the onna ran her fingers through her hair, grimacing at its greasy feel. She excused herself to the bathroom to shower. Hiei said nothing, but just sat on the bed.

_My left leg is a problem. A **BIG **problem._

Hiei could not stay in this hotel room until the Rekai Tentei found him. He was **not **going to be arrested for a crime that he didn't commit. The demon used his craws to slice away at his pants, so he had a good view of his actual leg.

He couldn't breathe once he saw it.

Bulges of skin sagged off of his limb. It was like rolls of fat on his leg, and they were getting bigger. Hiei knew what these lumps really were. Muscles. Torn muscles.

He bit down on his hand to soften a scream. His teeth broke through the skin, blood running between his fingers. He squeezed his eyes shut, each and every inhale burning his lungs.

_No! No! **NO**!_

His hands covered his eyes once he stopped screaming. Pain shot through him as another muscle tore in half, another lump forming on his leg. He took quick breaths as he shivered.

_I can't fail! I can't be useless!_

Another muscles snapped.

_I can't just SIT HERE!_

Tear gems fell from his hands.

_I can't let Botan die!_

Soft, desperate sobs were heard. His leg didn't even look like a limb anymore. He stared at it, tears rolling down his face, yet his expression was not hysterical. It was fear, his skin pale and his eyes shrunken.

He wiped his eyes. Snap. There went another muscle.

VII

A/N: Sorry to leave it there folks, but I had to. It was so good it had to end there. Hahhaa, well, I thought it was good. Please tell me if you agree or disagree. Um, yeah that's about it. Review, please, and check out the new chapter of Three Families. For some reason, not a lot of people are reading it... Oh well. Review!

-mia

p.s. Hiei used his Jagan to make Judy _think _the leaves were money. Yeah... (coughs) I'm cool like that hahahaha.


	5. Hiei's Demands

Not Okay : Hiei's Demands

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I would like more, but I'm not complaining. As long as you guys like the story, I'm happy! Um, yeah as it turns out, muscle tears are a HUGE problem... so prepare yourselves for the drama! Read and Review!

I

Botan sighed as the warm water ran over her body. It was such a _relief _to get all the grime and dirt off of her. She massaged shampoo into her blue hair, her arms feeling rejuvenated by the water. When she was done, her face was flushed as she stepped out into the cold.

She dried her hair messily with a towel, not really caring that it looked a bit wacky. She opened a closet to find a nice robe. Her lips were curved upwards. _Wow... Did Hiei know how good of a hotel this was? _

That was when she realized that he knocked her out. _That... little... JERK! _Her mouth was in a comical frown. Was she really mad about it? No. She opened the door after tying her robe tightly around her body.

"Hiei! Why did you kn–" Her pink eyes widened at what she _thought _was the Great Hiei Jaganshi that was laying on her bed. She could barely see his face. A glob of flesh was in the way. "KAMI!"

Hiei winced at her scream. Botan ran over to him, but slipped on the way. Groaning, the ferry girl nursed her knee. That was when she saw a small sphere. She reached for it, rolling it in her fingers. _This looks like... no... it **couldn't **be..._

"Onna..." His hands were pressing on the lump of flesh, and that was when Botan realized that it was his **_leg_**! "Run... get as far away as you can..."

Botan bit her lip, her fists clenching at her sides.

"No! I can't make it without you!"

Hiei bristled, his teeth shining dangerously.

"**_Baka onna! Get out of here_**!" They both heard a sickening snap, and his leg got a little bit bigger. "I... I can't help you anymore."

The ferry girl began to cry as the cold and heavy feeling of hopelessness sank into her chest. She touched his leg. His muscles, they were so strained that all of his well trained and toned muscles were breaking. Snapping into many pieces. Her hands shook as she ran her hands over his leg. Hiei snapped at her to stop touching him, but that wasn't important to her. Not now.

"Sh..." Her eyes glazed over as she began to glow. "I'm gonna... try something..." The pink in her eyes faded to a off white. The sheets began to float slowly up. "Just... don't... move."

Hiei's crimson eyes widened. He felt his shirt start to float up, his body stopping it. He had seen the onna heal, but never like this. His heart began to beat faster as her eyes became entirely white.

II

Koenma sat in his office. A pen was hanging from his mouth, bobbing up and down as he chewed it nervously. Rekai seemed empty. Devoid of life.

_Where is she?_

His eyes were constantly watery and his throat was always tight. It was like he was hanging over the edge of bursting into hysterics.

_Is Botan okay?_

George stopped by to drop off some papers. He didn't say a word to the Prince, knowing how close he was to losing his grasp on his emotions. Koenma just sat and tried to ignore the ticking of the clock.

That was when Ayame rushed in, her eyes wide and her skin pale with flushed cheeks.

"Sir! Sir, we've got a lock on Botan!"

Koenma's neck snapped up so fast he almost broke it.

"_What?_"

Ayame took a deep breath.

"Botan is using the power of Rekai Itself! We've got a lock on where she is!"

Koenma shivered. _The power of Rekai? Just **what **kind of trouble is she in?_

"Get my coat, I'm calling Yusuke!"

"Yes, sir!"

III

Yusuke was plodding along with Kurama, who was looking at the trees. His green eyes were narrowed as he scrutinized every detail. Broken branches. He picked up a huge branch that had been snapped off the tree.

"These branches... their tendons have been literally obliterated."

Yusuke massaged his forehead.

"So?"

The fox's head was back up in the leaves.

"So that means Hiei was over exerting himself." He looked back at Kuwabara and the detective. "He was going too fast. He was working too hard."

Kuwabara folded his arms against his chest.

"Are you sayin' the shrimp was going faster than he already was?" Kurama nodded. "He's the fastest out of all of us! Why would he want to go _faster_?"

They were all silent as this knew fact fell on them like a heavy weight. Kurama frowned.

"Yes, why indeed?" They continued walking. "Those branches... they tell me that he was using very last drop of his energy to get away fast." His brows were furrowed. "His legs must be shot. His muscles... after he's stopped... they will have disintegrated."

Yusuke bit his lip.

"Does... does he know that this will happen?"

Kurama swallowed some saliva that had built up in his mouth.

"He _should._" The kitsune sighed. "Speed like that should only be used as a last resort."

Another doomed hush spread out over them. That was when a crack of a whip was heard. The Prince of Hell appeared in a cloud of smoke. His brown eyes were shimmering.

"We found her!"

Yusuke's mouth fell open.

"**_What?_**"

Koenma was grinning giddily.

"She tapped into Rekai energy." Yusuke raised his eyebrows, obviously waiting for more. "I can _sense _her now! She's calling forth powerful energy that she only needs in emergency situations! I've got a lock! Let's go!"

He grabbed the three mens' hands and they disappeared.

Kurama was the first one to open his eyes. He wasn't expecting to show up outside of a fancy hotel. The four of them were silent as they felt Hiei's energy approaching from the lobby entrance. Kuwabara squinted.

"Is... are you... _certain _that's him?"

Yusuke turned to his best friend.

"What are you talking about?"

The nigen tilted his head to the side.

"I dunno. Something just doesn't feel right."

That was when they saw him. Hiei arrived, grinning manically. He cracked his knuckles as he ran his fingers though his raven hair, his crimson eyes landing on his pursuers.

"Well." He drew out his sword. "Are you going to make the first move, or do I have to?"

IV

Hiei gritted his teeth as he watched the ferry onna pulse. _This energy that she's using... it **can't **be her own! It just can't be! _He tried to move away, but he heard her voice.

"_Still..." _Her mouth wasn't open or moving. _"Be still..."_

Hiei stopped struggling as a pillow floated up to the ceiling. The bed sheets were rising, giving Hiei the feeling that they were in a sea of blankets. Her hands pressed into his skin. Hiei expected to feel some sort of horrible, agonizing, pain.

What he felt was like cold sand. The texture odd enough to give you a chill, but soothing all the same. Botan's hand was sinking into his flesh. Literally. His eyes widened as he felt his leg start to return to normal size. The muscles were being connected, stinging a little as she moved on.

She moved to his other leg, the muscles about to burst as she relieved them of their pain. Hiei was frightened, not that he would ever **_admit _**that, but the way her eyes were pure white and how gravity was forgetting that it existed... it was too strange to ignore.

Finally, her arms fell limp, his legs feeling numb, but better than they were. He pushed himself up as he saw the light fading from her eyes. All he could do was stare as the pink to her eyes returned.

All he could do was stare as she began to clutch her legs, hot tears falling from her face. A silent scream was forever molded to her mouth.

"Botan!" She had curled up into a ball, holding on to her knees tightly. "Botan! Onna!" It was when she relaxed that Hiei finally broke. He grabbed her shoulders, lifting her up. "Onna! Say _something _if you can hear me!"

Her pink eyes were half open, her breathing had stopped for a few long seconds. That was when she looked up, her eyes narrowing as she spoke in a weak, breathy voice.

"Y-you said... my name..."

Hiei glared at her.

"What just happened?" His claws were making marks in her shoulder. "Was it that other demon again? That man with the purple hair?"

As he kept guessing, his claws dug deeper and deeper into her shoulder. It was only until Botan grimaced that he was aware of what he was doing. Her chest heaved with oxygen as she closed her eyes.

"I... I borrowed Rekai's energy to... to heal you." Her eyes opened, a lazy smile on her face. "It was the first time I've... ever done that before..." She hissed as she massaged her legs. "I... I had to repay with your pain..."

Hiei felt his blood run cold as his face became ashen. _The pain I felt was... unimaginable! How could she take it without dying? _

He punched the mattress, making the bed bounce.

"Baka onna!" She flinched. "Why did you do that?" He grabbed her robe, pulling her closer to him. "**_Why did you help me? Why could you just leave me alone?_**"

She crossed her arms across her chest.

"Well I wasn't going to just leave you there!"

Hiei growled menacingly.

"You **_knew _**that healing me was going to hurt!" His right hand slid down to her wrist. "Promise me that you will **_never _**do that for me again!"

The ferry girl tried to glare at him.

"No."

"Yes, you **_will_**!"

"No, I **_won't_**!"

Their eyes were fierce and determined as they tried to get other to back down. They were just centimeters apart, their breath on each others faces. It was the ferry girl who first noticed this.

"H-hiei... uh..."

Her face was getting redder by the minute. The fire demon felt his eyes narrow. _Is she embarrassed? Why?_

Before he could ask, she moved away from him, pressing hands to her cheek. She was muttering to herself. Calling herself a baka onna. That made the Koorime raise his eyebrows. _She's **just **getting this?_

Hiei was the next one to shower, leaving Botan alone so she could get dressed in her pajamas. It was the only clothes that she had now. Hiei just needed a quick wash, but mainly he was testing out his legs.

_The job that Botan did was amazing. _He looked down at them as he evaluated them. Not one muscle was weaker than it had been. _In fact... they seem refreshed. Stronger... maybe. _

When he was done, he simply heated up his body to dangerous temperatures. The water evaporated off of him in a burst of steam. He shut off the shower and opened the door to see Botan laying on the floor.

"Onna?"

She smiled.

"Hey, Hiei." She pulled herself up using the bed. The demon saw the crease on her forehead. "It seems I'm still paying for your legs."

Hiei moved to her quickly, not letting one speck of worry show on his face. He slid the leg of her pajamas up to her knee.

"Are your muscles going to break?"

She shook her head.

"No lasting harm will come to me." She frowned. "That first stab of pain after I healed you was a test to see how much I could handle. From now on, it will get worse until it's over."

The two of them were silent. Hiei was... pissed. It was _his _fault that he pushed himself, causing the onna to do some sort of bizarre healing technique by using energy of the Sprit World. That was when Hiei felt a small pinch in the back of his mind.

He didn't hesitate as his Jagan Eye opened.

"Shit!" He swore. Something that he **did not **like to do. "The Rekai Tentei is here!"

Botan tried to stand, but quickly fell. Hiei caught her, bringing her into an awkward embrace. He quickly maneuvered her so she was in his arms as he stepped to the window. He opened it, but just as he was about to jump out, Botan stopped him.

"Wait!" She summoned her oar, sliding onto. "I don't need my legs to fly. I don't know if I can heal you again without... without too much pain." She bit her lower lip. Hiei wanted to tell her to stop doing that. "Just get on."

Too annoyed to object, Hiei hopped on, his one arm around her so he could keep himself steady. Also to make sure that she didn't fall off.

V

Kurama couldn't believe it.

"Hiei?"

The Koorime looked up lazily, a grin still on his face.

"Yeah?"

The fox crossed his arms.

"Where's Botan? Why are you doing this?"

The demon shrugged, swinging his sword as if he was bored. His stance was confident and obnoxious in a way. It was like he really didn't care what he was doing. As if this was all just a game.

"Botan?" He used her name. The four men narrowed their eyes at this new clue. _Since when does Hiei call Botan by her name?_ "I don't know. Dead for all I care." Koenma let out a gasp, Yusuke holding him back from doing anything stupid. Seeing this, Hiei stuck a pose with his sword. "Come on, let him go! Let's have some fun, huh?"

Yusuke flung the Prince backwards.

"Christ, Hiei." The demon turned his gaze to Yusuke. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you high or something?"

Hiei laughed heartily, making Yusuke and Kurama exchange confused glances.

"Ha! You wish." He bowed jokingly. "Come and get me!"

He jumped backwards, the Rekai Tentei instantly giving chase. He was toying with them like a cat would play with a mouse before it kills it. He jumped around the hotel, occasionally swiping at a member that got too close, but doing nothing else. The demon rolled his eyes, yawning as he continued to jump backwards.

"Kami, you guys are boring."

Kuwabara screamed at him.

"**WELL WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT, SHRIMP?"**

Hiei's eyes widened a little.

"Feisty, huh?" Hiei scratched his head, stopping suddenly on a ledge. "Oh... lets see. If you try and hurt me again... I will kill Botan." He held out a hand, and out of nowhere, the ferry girl appeared. Her eyes were black, her mouth open. She looked dead, but the subtle rises of her chest told them that she was still breathing. Hiei touched her neck with a long claw. As soon as he made contact with her skin, she began to scream. "Like that."

The Rekai Tentei stood, helpless as Botan writhed in Hiei's arms. He stopped and she instantly fell silent.

"I... Hiei... what happened to you?"

Kurama was almost crying again.

"Huh?" He never answered the question. "Oh, and I would like for Makai and Ningenkai to become a single world." He paused, looking off into the distance, shaking his hand, making Botan disappear. "Yes, that should do it."

The detective frowned.

"This doesn't make sense, Hiei. You're being stupid."

Again, the demon shrugged. He looked up, as if someone was talking to him.

"Ah. Whatever." He waved. "Toodles."

With that, Hiei Jaganshi was gone.

VI

As Botan and Hiei soared the skies, the fire demon couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong. He felt Botan's legs swaying in the wind. Dead weight. He whispered into her ear.

"Go faster."

She obliged, Hiei closing his eyes as the wind threatened to knock them out of his own sockets.

VII

Malik walked through the air. Hiei and Botan sped over him, a fast blur in the blue sky. Amiri appeared next to him. His golden eyes were shimmering with a rush of adrenalin.

"What now, sir?"

Malik held up his hand.

"Now we wait."

Amiri pouted, his arms crossing themselves.

"But I want to prove myself to you, master!"

Malik chuckled darkly.

"Good things come to those who wait, Amiri. Be patient."

Squirming, the demon nodded. _Just you wait, Hiei. _He smiled, a fang showing. **_I'll prove myself once and for all that _I _am stronger than _you**Amiri glared into the distance. **_Watch out, Hiei. I _am _going to kill you._**

VIII

A/N: Confused? Anxious? I worked hard so PLEASE review! I liked this chapter. I threw in a bit more sexual tension hahhaha. If you hated it, review! If you loved it, review! Chicken and broccoli? Review!

-mia


	6. Friend or Foe?

Not Okay : Friend or Foe?

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. For some reason, fanfiction isn't letting me get documents in, so if it lasts longer, that is why I didn't update a few stories. Just getting that out there. Anyway, things are looking very bad for our favorite Koorime and fire demon hybrid. Read and Review!

I

Hiei knew that Botan's oar could not outrun the Rekai Tentei. It could keep up with them at **_best_**. He heard her breathing quicken, and he saw the muscles in her legs jump and spasm. Hiei opened his Jagan. He saw the Rekai Tentei standing just outside of the hotel.

The brat Prince was screaming at Yusuke. Kuwabara kept on squinting into the distance like a baka. The kitsune... he was... he was... it looked like he was sick. Hiei growled. _What the fuck are they doing, just standing around like morons? **Come and get me**_!

That was when they started to move. They were coming for him. And there was nothing he could do about it. He told the onna to fly faster, and she nodded. She was clenching her mouth shut as they shot through the sky.

That was when the oar shook. It jerked wildly. Hiei's breath hitched as Botan turned to him, tears falling out of her pink eyes.

"H-Hiei... it _hurts_..."

He knew. He knew just how much pain she would go through. He felt his heart sink as he sighed.

"Then land."

She shook her head as she hissed, her eyes closing.

"B-but... b-but..."

"Do it, onna. Now."

She tried to shake her head, refusing to comply. Hiei growled and literally embraced her. She stuttered as he hugged her for a moment. She was about to speak when he simply leaned to his left, and off they went. His claws were digging into arms as he made **_sure _**that she didn't even slip a few centimeters as they plummeted to the earth.

As he stared at the ground, he smirked. The onna was screaming his name, burying her head into his chest. Their clothes were flapping loudly in the wind. But what he thought about, at that moment, was being thrown off the Island.

_No wonder this doesn't even spark adrenalin. _He didn't mind as tree branches cut his face as he shielded the ferry onna. _At birth, I had to face this danger. _The ground was rushing to greet them. At the last possible second Hiei spun and landed on his feet with the grace only a cat could muster.

"D-don't EVER do that **_again_**!"

Botan shook in his arms as she struggled to stand. Hiei swung her so she was on his back, like a piggy-back ride, only not. This _was _Hiei Jaganshi, remember. He didn't do piggy-back rides.

"Come on, let's go."

Hiei didn't run. He didn't even jog. If he did, he knew he would go as fast as he could. The two companions walked. Every once and a while, Botan's legs would tighten around the fire demon and her breathing would become a bit more ragged. She leaned into Hiei, whispering into his ear.

"W-what if t-they find us?"

Hiei's Jagan Eye was open, monitoring the energy of the Rekai Tentei. They were following him. If they kept up their pace, which wasn't sprinting, they would intercept them in about four hours.

If they didn't sprint.

"I don't know yet, onna. Just be quiet."

She didn't just stay quiet, to the Koorime's annoyance.

"I can tell them the truth! They'll believe me!"

Hiei started to walk a little faster, not that it mattered.

"I could be controlling you with my Jagan Eye."

Botan moaned as her legs tightened around the fire demon. In the back of his mind, he felt something swell at the thought of her going through his pain. He couldn't figure it out. It was... nice... but it also made his chest feel like it was shrinking. Was it pride?

"But... you would never do that."

Hiei scoffed.

"Right now, that doesn't matter to them. They already think I kidnapped you, so invading your mind is really no big deal compared to that."

Botan pulled his hair, trying to reason with him.

"Shut up!" Hiei's eyes widen every so slightly. Her lips were against his one ear. It tickled a little. "All of them are your friends. Yusuke, Kurama, even Kuwabara! They have to be torn at the fact that you would do something like this! They **_have _**to be doubting this whole thing!"

Hiei didn't want to get his hopes up. He liked to be prepared for reality. At the moment, it looked like his reality was Rekai prison and a life of misery.

"Hn."

II

Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were silent as they stared at where Hiei had just been. Koenma appeared and frowned as he too was quiet for a moment. Yusuke spoke up first.

"What the **_hell _**was _that_?"

Kurama sighed.

"I don't know if that really _was _the Hiei we know."

Koenma folded his arms against his chest.

"But... it w_as _his energy."

Kuwabara looked like he had smelled something bad.

"Yeah, but something was... I can't explain it. Off. Like... everything was perfect, the energy, the looks, everything... but _you _saw the way he acted. He was... flamboyant."

Yusuke couldn't help but snicker at the word. Kurama allowed a smile to grace his face.

"He isn't far away."

Yusuke's head shot up.

"Really?"

Kurama pointed a bit to the west.

"Right there." He brushed some dirt off of his shoulder. "Let's go."

The four men ran towards it, and soon, they hid their energy. The element of surprise was always a good ally to have on your side.

III

Botan felt Hiei tense and stop suddenly. She was instantly awake and ready, even if her legs felt like they were being ripped in half. Her voice was breathy as she tried to gain composure.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Hiei was slowly turning in circles.

"I can't find them." His voice was ice cold, but it snapped. He was worried. One might say scared. "They've hidden their energy."

Botan was crying a little, her pain showing through her tears.

"What do we do?"

Hiei had no idea. He couldn't think of anything except just let them catch him. If he fought... that would just make the situation messier. That was when he heard a voice that made everything worse.

**Hello, Hiei.**

The Koorime stopped moving, a sick feeling creeping up from his toes.

**What do _you_ want?**

The Voice gave a fake gasp of astonishment.

**Is that the way to greet someone who just stalled the Rekai Tentei while you were paralyzed in pain on a hotel bed? Tsk, tsk. I knew the Forbidden Child had no manners. **

Botan screamed as Hiei's body heated up so fast it felt like he was fire itself. She scrambled off of him as she watched him growl and his eyes flash from being entirely red to their normal color.

**_Shut up if you know what's good for you_.**

The Voice laughed.

**Yeah, yeah. Look, Yusuke and the others are barely one hundred feet away from you. **That got Hiei's attention. **If you tell them one thing about what is a_ctually _going on, I will kill Botan. **

The Forbidden Child paled.

**How do you know her name? **

**That's not important. You can't tell your friends anything. You can not get caught! And Botan can not get into their hands. Okay? In fact, hide her. It will be safer for her that way incase you and your friends get in a tiff.**

The Voice was gone. Hiei calmed down and saw Botan on the ground, staring at him. He picked her up bridal style and quickly took her far away. She hiccuped and he leaned her against a tree. He put a warm finger on her lips.

"Sh. I'll be back soon, onna."

The ferry girl bit her lip as she was lowered to the ground.

"W-what's wrong?"

Hiei didn't smile for comfort.

"The Voice talked to me again. I am not allowed for you to be taken by the Rekai Tentei." He paused. "This is for your own safety."

Botan wiped her eyes.

"Do you promise you'll come back?"

Hiei hesitated.

"I promise."

IV

The Rekai Tentei burst through the bushes to see Hiei leaning against a tree. He was not grinning or anywhere close to expressing an emotion. His sword was not drawn. His arms were crossed as he glared at them. Yusuke glanced at Kurama. This _was not _the same Hiei that they had run into just a few hours ago.

"Hiei?"

Kurama took a step forward. Hiei didn't move.

"Fox."

The kitsune smiled.

"You seem different since I saw you last."

Hiei raised his eyebrow.

"Outside of your house?"

The Rekai Tentei tensed. This made the Koorime shift and uncross his arms, putting them at his sides. Kurama frowned.

"No, just a few hours ago."

Hiei stared at his best friend.

"I was here a few hours ago."

Yusuke spoke up.

"Dude, we _just _saw you. Are you saying that we saw someone else?"

Hiei didn't answer, knowing he couldn't say the truth. His Jagan was open, making sure the onna was okay. Kurama used his soothing voice, waving Yusuke back.

"It's okay. You can tell us."

Hiei gazed past Kurama and at the toddler.

"Hn. Brat, what do you think about all this?"

Koenma frowned, not breaking his eye contact with the infamous demon.

"I... I don't know." He looked around. "Where's Botan?"

Hiei didn't even bat an eye.

"She's somewhere safe."

A hard silence followed after that statement. Hiei never told them where, or tried to explain himself. The only thing he did was watch whatever his Jagan Eye was watching.

"Hiei, why don't you find Botan, and them come with us." Yusuke ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "We can sort all this out and help you, man. If there's a bigger plot here–"

"No." Hiei's voice cut through Yusuke's like his katana. "I can manage myself."

Koenma finally broke.

"**_If you leave, then I will have no other choice than to think that you kidnapped Botan!"_**

Hiei froze. His eyes widened and his fists clenched, and the Rekai Tentei **_waited _**for him to deny it. The **_waited _**to be called bakas and morons.

The insults never came. No fierce denial was spat out. Hiei just stood there. His eyes were trapped in Kurama's. No one moved. No one breathed.

V

Amiri was merely feet away from Hiei. His golden eyes narrowed when he realized that he had gotten Hiei's character **_completely _**wrong the last time he had put on a show.

_He's so cold... and he hides his heart. _

Amiri shrugged. He'd do better this time. The demon closed his eyes, and he disappeared.

VI

Botan had stopped crying. She was still worried about Hiei. Would the Rekai Tentei really fight him? Would he... would he... die?

The ferry girl hiccuped and frantically wiped at her eyes. That was when she heard footsteps and the whisper of vegetation. She picked up her head to see... Hiei Jaganshi. He walked to her, his face still as smooth as ice.

"Is everything okay?"

Botan nodded.

"I-I'm fine." She struggled to stand, and Hiei supported her. "What about y-you? Did you tell them about the Voice? About the man in my head?"

The demon nodded.

"Yes. Everything is okay now. We're going to track down the demons responsible for all of this." His eyes never left hers. "You've been very strong throughout all of this, Botan."

Botan felt her shoulders stiffen.

"You said my name."

Hiei frowned.

"So?"

His eyes, his face, his voice... everything was perfect! Hiei! It **_screamed _**her favorite Koorime. But...

"You... you don't..."

Botan fell as she backed away from him. The demon stood as she tried to crawl to safety.

"Ferry onna." She stopped. Hiei knelt next to her. "Or Botan. I don't know what he calls you." His clawed hands cupped her face. They were cold and clammy. "Do you understand the true hopelessness of the situation? Do you see the true picture?"

Botan was crying again, sobs convulsing through her.

"H-Hiei!"

The demon covered her mouth, leaning closer to her as her warm tears flowed down her face.

"Yes... now you understand." Without warning, the demon crashed his lips on hers. Botan screamed. They felt slimy. He bit her lower lip until it bled. "Next time, I won't make this so easy for you, Botan." He bit her lip one more time. "Next time... you won't be able to tell the difference."

Botan shrieked, her voice echoing through the trees.

"**_HIEI!_**" The demon smirked, dissolving away into the wind. "**_HIEI!_**"

VII

Hiei's eyes shot open wide and his skin turned ghostly white. It was painfully apparent, and Yusuke was the one to comment on it.

"What's wrong?"

Hiei heard her shout his name again.

"I-I have to go!"

Just like that, Hiei Jaganshi was gone.

Koenma felt his heart clench, and before he could order the immediate capture of the thief, Kuwabara actually said something of interest.

"Did... he just stutter?"

VIII

Hiei raced through the trees and found Botan on the ground. Blood was dripping down from her lip. The fire demon watched her eyes flinch away from his form. Something hurt when she did that.

_Is she... afraid of me? _Her scent indicated that she was frightened. This struck him as odd. _She's **never **feared me. Ever. Even when we first met, she never displayed fright. _

"Onna!" She whimpered as he grabbed her shoulders. That was when he smelled it. He smelled... dirt. Decay. "Onna, who touched you?"

His hands were getting hotter as he was getting angrier. It seemed that when the ferry girl realized it was his demonic heat, she lunged forward, hugging the breath right out of him.

"Hiei! It's really you!"

The demon rolled his eyes.

"Baka onna. Who else would it be?" When he felt her stiffen, he shoved her away so he could see her face. "**_Who was here_**?"

"T-the demon!" Hiei's blood ran cold. "He looked like _you_!"

Hiei **_knew _**this wasn't going to be easy form the very beginning!

"What?"

Botan took another shaky breath.

"He must be a shape-shifter of sort." She locked eyes with him. "He sounded just like you. I thought he was y-you..."

Hiei took a few deep breaths. He wiped away the blood that was on her face.

"Why are you bleeding?"

Botan sagged in his arms.

"He... kissed me."

"**_What_**?"

Botan covered her face with her hands.

"He kissed me! It was gross! My first kiss... to a **_beast _**like that!" Hiei was enraged. Some... demon _kissed _the onna! He watched her writhe in shame. She spoke through her fingers. "H-how... will I know if it's you?" Her pink eyes peeked through her hands. "H-h-how will I k-know?"

Hiei felt the Rekai Tentei summon their power. The thing was... they weren't moving. Hiei felt his heart beat faster. The oxygen burned at his lungs.

"How did it feel... his lips?"

Botan stuck out her tongue.

"Disgusting. Cold, wet, and slimy."

She shivered at the memory.

"Hn." Hiei frowned. He _knew _was going to regret this. He _knew _that he would hate himself even more for what he was about to do. "Onna, listen closely because I am only going to do this once." He watched her hands lower from her face. "I want you to remember what this feels like because I am **_never _**going to do this again!"

He leaned forward and kissed her. It was short, warm, and had the after taste of blood. Those were the words that Hiei would forever remember when he described his first kiss.

IX

A/N: Oh. My. God. Wasn't that awesome? Wow. Okay, yeah I was really excited as I wrote this. PLEASE review! Did you like the kiss? I hope you don't think it was too rushed, because it wasn't really romantic... well, it _kinda _was... but not really. Please tell me what you think, the good, the bad, and the ugly!

-mia


	7. Broken Mirror

Not Okay : Broken Mirror

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter. Yeah, the kiss was a bit impromptu, but I thought it was cute. Stay tuned! Read and Review!

I

Botan's pink eyes almost fell out of her head. It was odd, just how casual he was about it. Wait... casual isn't the right word. It was so... so... quick and almost rushed.

She quickly remembered as much as she could. _His lips are warm, strangely smooth. _His bandaged hand was touching the side of her face. _The bandages have been worn down, and they are scratchy in some places. _His shoulders relaxed as he pulled away. _His entire demeanor, cold but somehow is still gentle. _His cheeks were... well they _appeared _to be a little flushed, but Botan knew that Hiei never EVER blushed. Certainly not. _Overall... a wonderful second kiss._

The ferry girl's hand crept up to her lips, as if to check if they were still there and not in some dream land. She tried to give him a reassuring smile that said:_ I knew that it meant nothing, it's cool. _All that came was an embarrassed laugh and a small curve of her lips.

"You better have remembered **everything**, onna."

His fists were clenched and his teeth were grinding together painfully. Botan nodded, that odd smile still on her face.

"Yeah, I got it." She rubbed her cheeks, trying to work out the redness. "Don't worry."

Hiei crossed his arms.

"Hn." Botan watched as his head turned to the west, his eyes closing and his Jagan opening. After a few moments he frowned. In a flash, his eyes opened and he looked at her, his Jagan Eye still glowing. "Come on, we have to get to the Rekai Tentei."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. Her blue hair whipped in the wind, the pajamas she was wearing blowing as she was swept into his arms. His arms tightened around her. Her head leaned into his chest.

And they were off. Into the woods, branches cutting across their skin. The wind playing with their hair. The top ferry girl of Rekai in the arms of an ex thief. She smiled faintly, even though she could feel the impending doom that they were sprinting to.

_It's okay. _She knew that her life was on the line. Hiei's too. That their lives were changing with each passing second. For some odd reason, all those bad things didn't matter. She was on cloud nine. _It __**will **__be okay. _

II

_YOU ARE FILTH! I __**HATE **__YOU!_

Hiei was fuming. Self loathing was coursing through himself as he pulled away from the onna. He was almost shaking, that's how mad he was.

_She __**had **__to know what my lips felt like! _Her smile... it killed him. It was embarrassed and at the same time happy. Her eyes were so forgiving... caring... it really did kill him. It really did. _But __**I **__wasn't __**supposed **__to enjoy it!_

He couldn't deny the way his face flushed. He couldn't deny the way he felt naturally high. He couldn't deny how the kiss felt **good**.

The Koorime shuddered and decided it would be better if he focused on the matter at hand. Like how to solve this whole "Hiei kidnapped Botan" misunderstanding. He opened his Jagan and found the Rekai Tentei.

What he saw was not what he wanted to see.

He saw Yusuke and the others... fighting... _**himself**_. The demon tensed and quickly grabbed Bo-the onna. He ignored the way his stomach seemed to shrink when she leaned in closer to him as they jumped through the trees. _She is __**NOTHING **__to me!_

His eyes were steely as he stared straight ahead.

_Then why are you doing all this for her?_

It was a good question. Hiei just increased his grip on Botan as he broke through the branches of trees. In one swift movement, Botan was in the safety of the treetops and Hiei's katana was drawn. Ready.

His eyes were bloodthirsty. Oh yes. He wanted blood. He wanted it _so badly_ that his bones ached for it. His tongue would only be quenched by it. And he wanted the blood of the demon that was under him.

He saw himself look up. He saw his red eyes widen with confusion. Hiei Jaganshi stared Hiei Jaganshi down as he swung his sword. He didn't hear the shouts of his teammates. He only heard the gasp of the demon under him.

III

Yusuke wasn't sure exactly what happened. He watched Hiei flicker out of sight. Koenma grabbed Yusuke's arm.

"Go! After him!"

After that, it got strange. Kurama looked to be thinking and he was only going to through the motions of getting out his whip. Kuwabara didn't move. Yusuke was about to take the first step to sprinting after the Koorime... when it happened.

Hiei jumped out of the trees. His eyes were back to their normal cold state. He wasn't pale or anxious. _**He was Hiei Jaganshi. **_

"Hn."

Yusuke watched him unsheathe his sword, letting the metal ring through their ears. Kurama flinched, not ready for his demon friend to be back so soon.

"Hiei?"

The demon turned.

"What?"

Hiei was the same as he was before. He wasn't strange or giddy. Flamboyant was the word that came to the Rekai Tentei's mind first. Hiei... he was back.

"What are you going to do?"

Silence fell over them as they watched Hiei like a family of hawks. He didn't bat an eye. He never lowered his sword. He just stared back, his ruby red eyes drooped with apathy.

"Getting ready to fight." He slipped into an offensive stance. He pointed his sword at Koenma, who took a few steps back. "You said that if I left, I would be accused of kidnapping the ferry onna." He drew his sword back to him, his body tensing like an animal ready to pounce. "So... there's really no other option... is there?"

His tenor voice ceased its vibrations. Koenma bit his lip. Kuwabara summoned his spirit sword. Yusuke clenched his fist.

And yet it was Kurama who made the first move.

The fox left the ground, his rose whip cracking and cutting the skin of the Koorime. Hiei's eyes widened as he jumped back, his hand clutching his bleeding arm. The fire demon was shocked for a few moments... but slowly a smirk faded onto his face.

"Nice shot, old friend."

Kurama said nothing and sent his whip at Hiei's face. Yusuke felt his blood run cold as Hiei dodged again, but barely. Kurama wasn't going to let him get away. The ex-detective pulled Kurama back, his hand on his shoulder.

"Kurama, what the hell are you doing?"

The kitsune said nothing as he yanked his arm away from Yusuke and sent the whip right back at Hiei. That was when Hiei finally sprung forward. His sword swung.

Red hair floated through the air.

Kurama's emerald eyes were wide. The Koorime had come close. _Too close. _He had cut a few locks of his hair off. Yusuke shot a barrage of spirit bullets. Koenma watched Hiei effortlessly dodge the attacks.

Yusuke felt his heartbeat racing. He watched Hiei land on a branch, his smirk turning slowly into a grin. He had seen that grin before... when he had first met Hiei. It was bloodthirsty... but that wasn't what Hiei was like now... right?

"Let him go, detective." Red eyes flashed as they locked with Kurama's. "It's his choice to make if he wants to die."

Kurama sent out his rose whip once more, but it never came back to him. Koenma gasped. Kuwabara became pale... knowing that it was a killed or be killed situation. Yusuke blinked.

Hiei caught the whip.

His hand was bleeding. But he had a firm grasp on the whip, the thorns lodged into his skin. Hot, sticky red liquid dripped down as Hiei took a step towards the fox, winding the whip around his fist.

He was three feet from Kurama. His katana was gripped in his good hand.

"You ready?"

Kurama nodded.

"Death his nothing new."

Hiei smirked.

"I wouldn't want to surprise you, kitsune."

Hiei swung his katana.

IV

Koenma squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see an execution. He waited for the thud of Kurama's head hitting the forest floor. He waited for bellows of rage. For the battle to begin.

He didn't get it.

The Prince opened his brown eyes and stared to see Hiei blocking an attack with his sword. His teeth were gritted and his eyes were wild as he was being pushed back. But his brain didn't compute the second set of data.

The person attacking him was Hiei himself.

Koenma watched as Hiei pushed Hiei off of him. The two fire demons growled. Yusuke fell over onto his ass out of confusion. Kuwabara fainted. Kurama had a flush of shock slowly spreading across his face.

"_**What the hell are **_**you **_**doing here?**_"

The Hiei with a cut hand hissed. The Other Hiei smirked.

"Hn. And let you have all the fun?"

The Other Hiei struck out suddenly with his claws. Hiei hissed and clutched at his face.

"Bastard!"

The Other Hiei glared, katana in hand.

"Hn. Shut up."

And the two demons flung themselves at each other. The cries of swords rang through the trees. Blood would appear in the air.

The Other Hiei backhanded Hiei, sending him into the ground, leaves flying up. That was when Hiei stood up, wiping blood from his mouth. He put out his bleeding hand and shouted, his voice cracking.

"I'll kill her! You faker!"

The Other Hiei stopped his charge.

"What?"

Hiei chuckled. With a snap of his fingers, Botan appeared. Her eyes black, her skin pale. A shriek emitted from her throat. Hiei turned to the Rekai Tentei.

"Did you hire a shape shifter to kill me?"

He didn't get an answer. Judging by his face, Hiei expected it. That was when another low moan mad Hiei turn pale.

Koenma watched as Botan... another Botan fell from the trees. This Botan wasn't in her pink kimono. It looked like she was in nigen pajamas. Her eyes were pink and she was crying.

The Other Hiei was by her in a flash, catching her. He whispered to her, and she wheezed something in reply.

Then she screamed.

The Botan with black eyes began to flicker in and out of focus, like a picture on a bad television screen. The Other Botan hunched over, her fingers clutching her skull.

The Other Hiei glared at the Botan with black eyes. He eyed her with his katana shining in his hand, but Hiei interrupted his obvious thoughts.

"You can't kill her." He pointed his katana at the Other Botan writhing on the ground. "She'll die."

The Other Hiei shook his head.

"I don't believe you."

In a flash, Botan was beheaded. Her shrieking stopped and she slumped over. Koenma cried out. The Rekai Tentei was astonished that they didn't have time to react.

The Other Botan began to wail.

V

Hiei watched his hostage die before his eyes. Yusuke watched his face twist with rage. He threw his sword at the Other Botan, but the Other Hiei quickly deflected it, his face cold and impassive.

Now, _**that **_face Yusuke knew well. He had seen the Koorime like that when he was fighting Sensui when everyone thought that their favorite detective was dead.

But they didn't charge each other. Hiei was red in face, his entire body shaking.

"You _**will **_regret this."

The Other Hiei narrowed his eyes even more.

"I'll find a way to deal with it."

His sarcasm seemed to drive Hiei over the edge. In a flash of smoke, Hiei was gone. The Other Hiei didn't put his katana away for several minutes. When he did, he quickly knelt down by the Other Botan.

She whispered something, and Hiei smirked in response. He then took her hand and pressed it to his skin on his face. He made sure to brush her fingers over his lips.

She smiled and moved her arms so the Other Hiei could take her into his arms. The Other Botan was biting down a wince.

"H-hey guys... what's up?"

There was an uneasy silence. Kurama was still recovering from the fact that his head was still attached to his shoulders. Kuwabara was still unconscious. Yusuke was still wary of this Other Hiei.

"B-Botan... is that you?"

The Prince of Rekai was the only one to approach the Other Hiei, his eyes only on his prized ferry girl. She smiled through it all.

"You know it, sir."

Koenma leaped forward and hugged Botan. He laughed as tears fell out of his hazel eyes. He quickly pushed up the legs of her pants. He saw the muscles twitching beneath it.

"You really did use Rekai power..."

Hiei was mute until Yusuke drew him out of it.

"_What the __**hell **__was that?"_

The infamous thief smirked, but his weariness seeped through.

"All we know is that he's a shape-shifter."

"He's right." Eyes traveled to the fox. He was kneeling next to the dead Botan. He brushed the hair back from her face and opened her eyes. "This is a _**really **_sophisticated... doll."

He picked at the doll's skin and it fell away, exposing an open shell. The ferry girl wrinkled her nose.

"Ew..."

Kurama smiled a little.

"I guess you could say that." He frowned and let the doll drop to the ground, standing up. "All that is required to make a doll like that is the blood of who the doll is supposed to look like." He looked back at the lifeless heap on the ground. "The only problem about a good clone like that is that the original copy can't get near it or the two will try to merge."

Yusuke rose his eyebrows.

"So that's why that thing began to flicker once Botan fell out of the tree."

The fox nodded and Hiei growled a bit, Botan shifting in his arms.

"Hn."

Kurama locked eyes with his best friend.

"It's good to have you back."

VI

A loud crack was heard. It sliced through the air, it's crisp ring hanging there. Amiri was sprawled out on the ground. His left cheek was red, and he began to pick himself up.

"Master..."

Another crack. Amiri did not try to get up again. He just stared.

"You... disgrace..."

Malik stepped into a dim part of the room. Amiri squeezed his eyes shut.

"Sir... I didn't think that the Koorime would have the guts to disobey my orders."

The taller demon narrowed his eyes, his long black hair falling in front of his face.

"He was going to go against our threats eventually. **You **should have been better prepared."

Amiri was crying, hating himself for failing his all knowing Master.

"P-please... let me make it up to you..."

The darker, stronger demon ran his long clawed hand through his hair.

"Fine." Amiri opened his eyes. "You know what you have to do."

VII

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep on leaving them if you want more. Um... was everyone in character? Hiei was okay, right? That's about it. Oh, I came up with a new fic called Midnight. Check it out for Hiei and Botan goodness!

-mia


	8. Magma

Not Okay : Magma

A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while, it's just that I was waiting for some more reviews and working on some other stories I've got running. Please, I'm begging you, read and review!

I

China clinked on a wooden table. Hot tea was poured and the steam that rose from it was a comfort on the cool summer night. The walls were a light yellow with green trim. An ordinary nigen home.

It was Koenma, Botan, and Kurama who drank the tea. They were sitting in chairs around the table, Yusuke and Kuwabara leaning against the wall. Hiei was sitting on the windowsill, his eyes watching the moon.

"We got Botan back, but I can tell that the entire story is just beginning to unfold."

Yusuke griped first. Hiei agreed with the ex detective. There was that odd tingle in the tips of his fingers that made the fire demon uneasy. However, the demon did feel a part of him relax with the small comfort that he was with his old teammates again. _Maybe... just maybe they'd be able to help me with this mess... _

"Botan, when you said you went into these passionate and violent trances, do you remember anything at all... anything that might hint as to who is responsible or why it's happening?"

Hiei felt his eyes slide to the ferry girl. She was in sweat pants and a college sweat shirt, given to her by the kitsune. Her hair was down and wet from the shower she had taken just a few minutes ago. She still smelled like fresh water.

"I blank out... I'm blind and I'm so hot... like I'm on fire. When it first started, I was able to have enough sense to go to water."

Kurama's eyebrows lowered.

"Did it help?"

Botan shook her head solemnly. Her pink eyes were not sparkling with that hyperactive energy that she was normally so inclined to use. The Koorime could tell that she was tired. Not physically, but mentally. Spiritually, she had been through many lifetimes. Plush, her legs were still twitching. Hiei could see the pants ripple with her muscle tremors and her teeth clench painfully.

"No." She smiled sadly, freezing it as another rapture of agony scraped her legs. "It just evaporated off of me. It's usually after that when I just blank out. It's almost as if my mind shut down and the only thing I can think about is how I'm on fire... and how I need to cool off."

Hiei finally spoke up, his voice lower and darker than usual.

"The onna's right." All eyes were now on him. "During these episodes, she's able to _**burn **_me."

Kuwabara would have choked on tea if he had been drinking it.

"Wait! You're a fire demon, shrimp! You can't be burned!"

Hiei glared at the baka.

"I'm _half _fire demon and _half _Koorime." His eyes lowered their gaze. "I didn't think I was able to be burned either... but apparently I can be."

Kurama turned to the ferry girl.

"How did these episodes end?"

The question made Botan turn a bit pink and sip her tea before answering.

"I'd be with... Hiei." The room was silent for thirty seconds. "He... he... he was the first person I was with after the first time it happened to me."

II

Botan felt very odd. She felt like she wanted to sleep for a week straight... but the next second she'd be wired. Her pink eyes flickered over to the fire demon, who was staring out the window, indifferent.

"Hiei, I'm sorry for... wrongly accusing you of a crime that you did not commit." Hiei grunted in acknowledgment of the Prince's voice. "Thank you for protecting her."

"Hn."

Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets, his lower lip sticking out.

"I _knew _Hiei had nothing to do with it, toddler."

Koenma bit down on his pacifier.

"I was just acting sensibly."

The detective bristled.

"_You call __**leaping **__to __**blame **__Hiei, sensible?"_

Koenma stood abruptly and the two beings were inches away from each other, burning to strike.

"_**It was all I could do! All the signs pointed to Hiei kidnapping Botan, Yusuke!**__" _

Kurama quickly put a hand on the detective's shoulder.

"Look, it's over now." His voice was soft, but everyone heard the edge hidden in his voice like a knife hidden in a sleeve. "We have to work together in order to end this. Whatever is going on with Botan is going to put her in danger. What if Hiei wasn't around all of those times? What if she had been in Rekai?"

Yusuke muttered something darkly under his breath and went back beside Kuwabara, his arms crossed as the Prince sat back down in his chair. Kurama paused before returning to his seat, making sure that everything was back to normal.

"Hiei, do you have any enemies that we should know about?"

The Koorime shook his head.

"No."

Kurama checked his watch. It was one in the morning.

"Okay, I think we should call it a night." Kurama had Yusuke and Kuwabara sleep in the guest bedroom, and Koenma was going back to his own bedroom. Kurama turned to Botan, who was snapped awake by his voice. "You can sleep on the fold out bed in the living room."

Botan stood and smiled graciously, but she quickly faltered. Kurama didn't get enough time to react before Hiei had her in his arms, his eyes steely, **daring **the fox to comment on his speed.

"T-thank you, Kurama."

With a quick nod, the fox was off to the stairs, already taking his shirt off. Hiei quietly walked to the mattress that was sticking out of the couch, just like Kurama had said it would. The Koorime lowered Botan to the bed.

"Hn." He saw her eyes stare into his own. "You need to get some sleep, onna."

Her blue hair was down.

"I'm not very tired, to be honest."

Hiei frowned, gritting his teeth.

"Baka onna." He was quiet for a minute, like he was trying to get a hold of his anger. "How are your legs?"

The ferry girl's pink eyes slid down to her legs, the muscles twitching.

"Fine."

"You're lying."

Botan stuck out her lower lip, glaring at the fire demon.

"It just hurts a little bit." Hiei wasn't frowning anymore. Now his lips were pulled back, exposing his fangs. He was trying to intimidate her. And intimidate her he did. "Okay! Okay!" His mouth slackened, his teeth disappearing behind his lips. "It's getting worse... but it will... ah!" She squeezed her eyes shut and her hands clamped around her right leg. "I-I... It just hurts a lot... i-i-it'll pass soon... don't worry."

Her eyes were still closed. It was only when she opened them, face relaxed and breathing regular that Hiei touched her.

"Sleep." His hands cupped her face, his palms centered over her temples. Her pink lips opened, but Hiei stopped her from talking. "Sh. Just... relax."

With a pulse of massive heat focused at his palms, demonic warmth flooded the ferry girl. Her eyes rolled back into her head. Her arms shot out, grabbing Hiei's shirt, her hands fisting the material tightly.

III

Hiei didn't move. He felt Botan's legs jerk, though her face never twitched or flickered with any expression of pain. He almost smirked. _That's demonic heat for you. _

"Ahem." Hiei started, turning to see Kurama. "I hope I didn't interrupt."

Hiei glared at the fox, who must have been standing there before Hiei had knocked the ferry girl out.

"Fox. I thought you were sleeping."

The kitsune walked up to Hiei, who was gently prying Botan's fingers off of his shirt. The Koorime got off of the bed, brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt. Kurama smiled as Hiei leaned against the window sill, his hand restlessly touching his katana.

"I decided to stay up for just a bit longer." The two men stared at the woman who slept silently on the pullout bed. "So you knocked her out, huh?"

Hiei's shoulders raised about two inches.

"She wouldn't have slept if I didn't intervene."

The fox nodded slowly, his eyes still on the girl in bed.

"I see." Kurama ran his fingers through his hair. "Tomorrow we should probably go to the Rekai libraries to see what Botan's symptoms point out."

Hiei crossed his arms.

"Hn. Fine. Whatever." He blinked. "I don't care."

Kurama pushed himself off of the wall and shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah." Hiei's eyebrows didn't move, even though the fox's actions and laughter were a bit shocking. "Sure."

IV

Hot streams of magma streamed out of the earth. The light alone was blinding in the bright parts. The heat would kill a nigen in a matter of seconds.

But no nigens would be able to cross into this terrain. Not without assistance.

That was why Malik resided solely in this location. No bothersome nigens. No baka demons were able to make it past the first five feet, so that was another bonus. The demon closed his eyes as he inhaled.

Ah, the air was dry with the scent of crumbling rock and lava.

_Everything is perfect. _Malik imagined that slow waltz music was playing. _The stage is set. _His eyes opened, their elegant shape and unique color breathtaking. _I might as well just... do it._

He snapped his fingers, and the purple haired demon appeared, his face still covered in bruises.

"Yes, Master?"

Malik smiled, his teeth sharp and shiny.

"Do what I told you about earlier... only this time, don't mess up."

His voice was dark and foreboding. The shape-shifter nodded.

"Yes." He hesitated before leaving. "Clean, or messy?"

"Clean."

In a blink of an eye, Amiri was gone.

V

It was four in the morning, and Hiei was still awake. He didn't want to sleep. If he slept, something bad could happen to Bo-the baka ferry onna. And he wouldn't be able to live with himself if his own laziness got her in trouble.

His blood red eyes fell on the woman in question. She was still sleeping, and her face was still as smooth as silk. He smirked a bit when she turned over, throwing her arm over a pillow. Hiei leaned against the cool glass of the window.

_Why am __**I **__so important in this mess? _Hiei watched Botan snuggle into the fluffy pillow, a smile tugging at her lips. _I don't have anything to offer. I'm just a demon. _

She sighed dreamily. Hiei stretched a bit. _It can't have anything to do with my Koorime heritage. Barely anyone truly knows about it. _Hiei was about to find a chair when he felt it. He turned to look out the window. Standing there... Hiei saw himself, hands on his hips and a cocky smirk on his face.

Seething with rage, Hiei opened the window and appeared three feet from the baka demon. Hiei didn't want help from the Rekai Tentei. One, they would just get in the way. Two, he wanted revenge for what this shape-shifter did to him.

"My, my, my. Someone looks angry."

Hiei clenched his fists.

"Stop trying to be me and just be what you really are."

The demon smiled and changed into a man who had purple hair and gold eyes. Hiei felt his blood run cold. _This was the demon inside Botan's mind!_

"I'm a cute one, right?" Hiei scowled. "I'm Amiri, by the way. I never had the chance to properly introduce myself."

Hiei unsheathed his katana.

"Hn."

Amiri smirked as he saw Hiei draw his weapon.

"Oh, what do appearances matter." Amiri closed his eyes and bit his lip. In a soft pulse of light, Hiei found himself staring at Botan, clothed in the college sweatshirt and pants. "How do you like me now, Hiei?"

The worst part was that he even _sounded _like her. The Koorime gnashed his teeth together.

"No."

Amiri made himself smirk, his face contracting. He looked like Botan, but her entire demeanor was off. From her personality to her posture. Hiei _**loathed **_it.

"Too bad." He smiled as he summoned a sword. "I like her body."

In a blur of shadow, Hiei attempted to slice open the stomach of Amiri. Botan/Amiri jumped back in time, but his eyes were wide.

"You'd attack _me_? Poor, defenseless... beautiful Botan?"

They came together, faces inches away. They could feel each other's breath on their skin.

"You're not her."

Amiri brought his sword up and around, making a small cut in Hiei's pants.

"I know that." Their steps were hushed by the cool, green grass. "I kissed her, you know." Hiei snarled and slashed at Amiri's head, missing by mere centimeters. The demon pressed his sword against Hiei's katana, once again getting close to him in the form of Botan. "I _**love **_her lips."

Hiei kicked Amiri square in the stomach. He cringed at the sight of Botan's face writhe in pain as she was flung into a tree, and then proceed to break the tree in half. Amiri coughed, and when he emerged from the rubble, he was still in the form of Botan.

"You will _never _kiss those lips again." Hiei started walking toward him, katana ready. "I'll make sure of it."

The demon scoffed.

"Jealous?" Hiei didn't answer. The two demons didn't move. "I should have guessed." Hiei's eyes narrowed as Amiri in the form of the ferry girl began to laugh. "You're in love!"

Hiei blinked.

"What?"

Amiri rolled his now pink eyes.

"This is so lame! Hiei..." Laughter. "In love with... Botan!" His was hunched over, hands on his knees. "How could _she _ever love _you_? You're the Forbi–"

With a frantic growl, Hiei pounced on Amiri and wrenched his sword away from him. Pinning Amiri's hands above his head, Hiei pressed the katana to the throat of the shape-shifter.

"Shut up!"

Hiei's once controlled voice cracked. His eyes were wild and wide. Amiri smirked.

"You won't do it." Hiei pressed his katana down harder, leaving a small cut. Amiri decided to toy with the fire demon. "Hiei... Hiei... don't do this, not to _**me**_..." Hiei was paralyzed. The demon under him chuckled. "See, told you."

That was when a piercing shriek echoed into the night.

VI

A man in a black cloak entered the window to Kurama's living room. He was suppressing his energy. His steps were silent. His movement, like water.

He advanced on the sleeping onna. He was right beside her. He put his hand over her body, not touching her. With a small spurt of energy, lightening hot heat shocked her body. Botan's pink eyes shot open, scream lodged in her throat.

Malik smiled as he held his finger to his lips.

"Sh." Botan's body jerked as tears streamed down her face. Her legs still twinged. "My name is Malik, and I'd like for this to be as painless as possible. In order to do that, I'm going to need you to listen to me. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Good." The demon lowered the hood and moved the hair out of his eyes. "I am kidnapping you." The ferry girl hiccuped. "There's nothing you can do about it... but before I go, I need you to do one thing for me."

Botan breathed shakily.

"W-w-w-w-what i-i-is it?"

Malik said nothing but touched the side of her face. Botan's mouth opened wide as she arched off the mattress. Her eyes began to get black lines in them as she screamed. Her voice cracked and when it finally ended, the demon nodded.

"Good job."

And that was when Malik and Botan both disappeared from Kurama's living room.

VII

A/N: I have to end it there. I'm tired, and PLEASE, for Kami's sake, review! I got tons of hits for the last chapter, but only eight reviews? Okay, okay, just please, do you like where this is going? Do you think it sucks? Either way, leave a review please!

-mia


	9. Hell's Mouth

Not Okay : Hell's Mouth

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Keep on leaving them. Oh, and I have to leave for Europe on the 25th of June, so that will by why I can't update in a long time. I'll be back on July 13th though! So, Read and Review!

I

Amiri and Hiei listened to the shrill cry of Botan. The demon returned to his original form, still letting the screams sink in. Hiei, on the other hand, had goose-bumps rising on his skin. He had heard that shriek before.

Then it stopped.

It was so sudden, anyone who heard it had the odd desire to lurch forward.

The Koorime had to tear his eyes away from Kurama's house just to look into the now gold eyes of the demon under him. Amiri had a smile on his face. You _**could **_say it was sentimental.

"What?" Amiri laughed. "Did you honestly think this was _**all **_about you?"

Hiei's mouth was dry. _Fuck! It wasn't me... they didn't want me! They wanted Botan!_

"G-give h-h-her back... Or I w-w-will k-k-kill you."

His pure rage made him stammer. He had to spit the words out between his clenched teeth, the muscle in his jaw twitching. Amiri burst out laughing, and Hiei brought down the blade. His eyes were wide with pure madness, but his heartbeat only increased when he didn't feel the soft resistance of skin. He couldn't smell the hot blood.

Hiei watched as the doll under him cracked and fell apart. Cheeks flushed and breathing labored, Hiei could only stare as the doll... the fucking toy collapsed.

The breeze was cold, but Hiei couldn't have been any hotter.

II

Kurama ran down the stairs, his red hair falling in front of his eyes. Yusuke and Kuwabara slammed open their doors, barreling after him. They heard Botan screaming. Kurama slid into the living room to see a man on the bed with her, leaning over her.

His black hair was long, almost engulfing the white sheets and the ferry girl. Her pink eyes were wide and shimmering with horror. His hand was withdrawing from her face, and all Kurama could see was the smallest curve of the man's lips.

Then they just vanished.

If you blinked you would have missed it. The only thing left behind was the wrinkled sheets and the smell of smoke and fire.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were speechless. The fox quickly searched for Hiei's energy, and found him outside. Green eyes landed on the Koorime.

The detective, nigen, and kitsune ran outside to see Hiei kneeling on the ground over what looked like porcelain. His eyes were wide, his pupils almost non existent. The heat coming off of him was equivalent to a roaring forest fire. Kuwabara couldn't get too close to him. That's how hot it was.

"Hiei?"

The fire demon held a... face in his hands. The face was frozen in mid-laugh. The eyes were squeezed shut and the mouth was open wide. Purple hair was framing the face, ending at the chin.

Yusuke kicked some of the shards around Hiei. He almost jumped back when he saw fingers. Toes. Pieces of arms, legs, back, and stomach.

"Hiei, who is this?"

The fire demon squeezed his hands together, breaking the face into little pieces.

"His name is Amiri... he... he is the one doing this to Botan."

Kurama frowned, his eyebrows coming close together.

"Hiei... you're wrong." The Koorime turned to face his best friend. "She disappeared... but she was not with that demon. She was with a way more powerful demon."

The temperature lowered. The air stopped crackling. Hiei's face relaxed.

"What?"

III

Malik and Botan appeared under the Earth's crust. The ferry girl had passed out and was currently being held by Malik. His eyes scanned the room, and he walked to a door. As he stepped out, the heat of the magma blew his hair back.

It didn't faze him. At all.

He walked over to the chains on the wall. With such gentle moves and touches, he hooked Botan up, her arms above her and the steel bracelets fastened around her wrists. He stepped back was just gazed at the sight. A sight that he had been hungering for.

He summoned a white dress to him. Malik rose his clawed hands and began to cut away Botan's clothes.

IV

Amiri, however, did not return to his Master's fortress right away. He flickered throughout the skies of Ningenkai, and finally, to Rekai. He stood on the top of the Gates. He knew that he was being watched, and that soon, spirits would be out to kill him.

"KOENMA!" Guards flew at him. Amiri didn't even have to summon a weapon. His claws plunged through stomachs and pierced throats. He would jump at his attackers and spin, the blood flying off of him. "LISTEN TO ME IF YOU EVER WANT BOTAN BACK!"

Every guard was on the ground. He returned to his post at the Gate. He gazed in the direction of the camera. He bowed gracefully, his claws getting stains on his nice suit.

"Go to Hell's Mouth in Makai." He smiled, his teeth red. "If you're really that desperate to get her back." He turned his back to the camera. "Which you won't."

V

Hiei frowned as the fox told him what had happened. _Botan... kidnapped by another man who wasn't Amiri. The two must be working together, or one under the other. _

"Should we tell Koenma?" Kuwabara was on the couch, wringing his hands so hard that his skin was raw and his knuckles were white. "I mean, maybe he could help us out to where she is."

As if he had been cued, Koenma appeared in a flash of fire. His face was pale and it looked like he had been crying. His brown hair was frizzy and he kept on moving. Whether it was pacing, shaking out his limbs, or just the twitches on his face, he always kept moving.

"Some demon was at our Gates today." He took in a shaky breath. "H-he had purple h-h-hair. He told me where Botan is."

Hiei's face was as smooth as ice. Like always.

"Where is she, brat?"

Koenma ignored that annoying name he had been called and instead spoke to Kurama.

"Hell's Mouth." No one said or did anything. Koenma felt that he should elaborate. "It's a cave in Makai... well... I don't know if it's really a _cave_ but that's what it looks like from the outside."

Yusuke's raven eyebrows shot up.

"No one has gone in before?"

The Prince shook his head.

"None have ever come back."

The entire team was silent for a while. Yusuke bit his lips. Kuwabara kept on wringing his hands, only now he was rocking on the balls of his feet. Kurama closed his eyes, thinking, the probability ratios flashing behind his eyes.

Hiei only tightened his grip on his katana.

"Show me where." He stood up fiercely. "Now."

VI

That was how Kurama found himself in the darkest parts of Makai. It made all the hairs on his body stand up. And he was a _**fox**_. The kitsune exchanged a worried glance from Yusuke and Kuwabara.

Hiei was standing in front of them, gazing into the gaping hole in the ground. He hadn't said a word, but he didn't need to. Kurama, Yusuke, and even Kuwabara could feel the rage and feeling of purpose pulsing in his aura. Yusuke shivered as the three of them began to step up to the cave, so they were closer to Hiei.

"This place is creeping me out, man." He hugged himself. "There's no wind."

Kurama's green eyes widened. _That _was what it was. The air was dead, just standing in the air. Wherever they walked, they could feel the push of the dead atoms. Kuwabara stared at the never-ending darkness.

"I don't... I don't think we should go in there." He leaned in close to Kurama, whispering with a trembling voice. _"Hiei shouldn't go in there. He's going to... I don't know... but he shouldn't go in, Kurama."_

As the last syllable left Kuwabara's lips, Hiei unfolded his arms and jumped. He vanished into the hole. Kurama felt like his stomach had been plunged into a bucket of ice as he saw his best friend become consumed in the darkness.

"Come on. Let's go."

Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara leaped in after the half fire demon half Koorime. And on the way down, all of them prayed for this to be quick and easy.

But they all knew that Enma wasn't going to listen. Not this time.

VII

Botan felt like she had just thrown up almost everything inside of her. You know, when your stomach is tired and your legs and arms hurt from holding onto the bucket or toilet bowl. Her muscles had been replaced with hot wet sand. Her blue hair was down and she was afraid to open her eyes.

Wherever she was, it was _scorching_! She was panting, trying to get enough air into her lungs. And her arms... they were being held up...

The ferry girl cracked open her pink eyes. They widened as they saw orange. Red. Bright yellow. Burning white.

She was suspended... in the air. She tried to scream, but her throat was too dry. Her legs shot out, and she was horrified to see that she was wearing different clothes! _That demon __**undressed **__me! _Her toes would brush against rock under her, but she could not stand. She could only swing.

Botan was panting, her chest heaving up and down. She looked at her legs and chest to see that she was wearing a white dress. Plain. Like a summer dress.

That was when she heard footsteps. They were snappy, and they echoed throughout the entire cave. Botan almost cried when she saw Hiei Jaganshi.

He flickered up to her, gently touching her wrists, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I'm so sorry... I let you get... kidnapped..."

His voice, so unemotional yet... the statement apologetic. Botan finally let the tears fall.

"Hiei..."

VIII

Hiei landed on the ground and watched as Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara dropped in after him. He watched as they picked themselves, Kurama dusting himself and Yusuke cracking his knuckles.

"Hn. Let's go."

Kuwabara watched the fire demon go down the path to the far right.

"Wait a minute, shrimp! How do you know where to go?"

Hiei didn't bat an eye.

"I can smell her."

IX

Botan cried softly as Hiei touched her arms, his finger gliding over where her skin had become raw. He was warm and everything. She was so relieved...

"Hiei... I–"

"Sh, onna." He brought his hands to the side of her face, by her temples. "It's okay." His thumbs brushed away her tears. "I'm here... you're going to be okay."

X

Kurama noticed that the heat was rising in the cave. It was probably not effecting Hiei, but Kuwabara was going to pass out or die if they didn't do something soon. Kurama went to Kuwabara and pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"Swallow these." He flicked three seeds into the nigen's throat. "They'll keep you cool."

Kuwabara smiled, panting slightly.

"Thanks, Kurama. I owe you."

The fox shook it off, a slight tremor going through his body when the ground shook around them. They all paused and looked around. Even Hiei's crimson eyes were flickering about in a nervous panic.

"It's fine." Kurama didn't know what he was talking about. Kubwabara's thanks or the situation they were in. "It's nothing."

XI

Hiei leaned in to kiss Botan. She relaxed, her toes brushing the ground as his lips settled over hers.

Her eyes opened.

Her stomach began to twist itself and turn inside out.

His lips were cold.

Slimy.

Slippery.

Botan's mouth, teeth more specifically, acted all on their own. She hadn't realized what she had done until she tasted the blood in her mouth.

XII

As Hiei walked down the corridor, his friends behind him, he thought of what Koenma had said.

"_Hell's Mouth has been around since the beginning of Time itself. My Dad thought it would be a good place for Hell, but he soon realized it was __**too **__bad down there. The rocks are dry and sharp. The temperatures are unbearable to nigens and most demons."_

"_Whoever is down there... well... who knows how old they are. Dad said nothing was alive down there. No plants. No bacteria. Nothing. Everything was dead. Whoever is down there... they have to be powerful."_

"_Don't get me wrong, I want Botan back. I want her back with all my being." _

"_But... Who knows what awaits you...? I don't."_

"_If... if for some reason you can't get to her and you somehow manage to make it out alive... I'll understand."_

"_Oh... and... before you go... I just wanted you all to know that you've all been great friends. I love you. I really do."_

Not very promising. Koenma had practically said goodbye to all of them before they had even died.

Hiei took off his bandana and opened his Jagan Eye.

_I'm not going to fail, Koenma. _The picture of Botan healing him was still ingrained into his memory. Her face twisted with pain. _**His **_pain. _If I fail... then I die. _

XIII

"You fucking bitch!"

Amiri stepped back, his purple hair and gold eyes back. His lips were bleeding, and some of his tongue too. Botan glared at him, spitting out his own blood onto his face.

"Don't you **ever **do that to me again or I'll rip them off."

Her voice was so soft and hard that she actually sounded deadly for a few moments. The way her pink eyes turned ice cold and how the blood dripped down to her chin. It was surreal. Amiri wiped his lips on the back of his sleeve.

"How did you know it wasn't him?"

XIV

Hiei knew exactly what he was going to do when he found her. He knew just what he was going to say. He knew how he was going to kiss her. He knew how he was going to kill the two demons responsible.

"Kurama."

The kitsune's head jerked up.

"Yes, Hiei?"

The Koorime... the Forbidden Child turned and smirked at his teammates.

"Let's get moving. I've got a lock on her." His smirk turned dark. "Amiri too. He's there."

They took off, into the darkness that was growing hotter. Hiei began to sweat as the walls began to glow red. They sprinted, and Hiei drew his sword as they came to the room. The hollowed out cave.

Kurama and the others stopped. They stared at the magma that swirled under them. Yusuke almost swooned with the heat, but Kurama gave him his ice seed.

But Hiei never skipped a step.

The entire world disappeared.

The only things that mattered were the two beings locked in his eyes.

Amiri and Botan.

Hiei drew his sword and jumped. His black overcoat flapping in the air. Nothing else existed. The lava. The sweat on his forehead. The heart pounding behind his rib cage.

None of it mattered.

He saw blood on Botan's lips. He saw it dripping down her chin.

**That mattered. **

XV

"He didn't!" Botan glared at the demon, who was continuing to dab his lip. "He _**kissed **_you?" His fists clenched and a vein in his neck bulged. "Bastard!"

Botan's lips pulled back, revealing bloody teeth.

"He did it so I would know the next time if it was really him or not." She spit some red saliva onto the stone. "And it worked."

Amiri paced about wildly, as if something inside of him had collapsed.

"He _**can't **_do that! He wasn't supposed to do **that**!" He sounded like a six year old. "**IT'S NOT FAIR!"**

The ferry girl felt no sympathy.

"It is." Her eyes looked past him.

"It's very fair."

Amiri turned to follow her gaze, and he saw a very _**enraged **_half Koorime and half fire demon hurling at him. Botan saw her savior. Her knight in black. The coppery taste in her mouth and the pain in her legs were forgotten when they made eye contact.

She saw desperation and true instinct in his eyes.

She saw the instinct to protect. Botan watched as he drew his katana. She saw his eyes lower to her mouth. To the blood.

She almost chuckled.

"It's over." Amiri didn't turn to face her, but she knew he heard her. "I've seen what happens to the people who get on Hiei's bad side."

XVI

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them. So, again, just a reminder, I am probably not going to update for a while because of my band trip to Europe! I'm really sorry, but I promise, when I get back the ideas in my head will be overflowing, so get ready to read after July 13th! Please Review!

-mia

p.s. The music was listening to while I was writing his was Ghost in the Shell (electric rave remix) Type it in at Youtube for a good song!

P.s.s, Did you guys like this chapter? Please, be honest, I won't mind!


	10. Duel to the Death

Not Okay : Duel to the Death

A/N: I'M BACK! Finally! I'm so wired right now, so yeah! I had so much fun in Europe! I don't want to bore you with the details, so if you want the details, tell me in a review or a private message! But... I will tell you one thing... ENGLISH TEENAGERS THINK AMERICAN ACCENTS ARE _**CUTE**_!! Go U.S.! Read and Review!

I

Kurama watched as Amiri summoned a sword just in time to defend himself from the raging half fire half ice demon. The fox, in his entire lifetime, had never seen such a passionate demon as Hiei was now.

His eyes were smoldering with a primitive rage. He didn't make a noise as he cut through the air with his katana. The fox's green eyes traveled to Botan. The ferry girl that he loved like a sister.

The sight of her made his blood boil.

Her pink eyes were settled on Hiei, and relief and weariness weighted them down. Her light blue hair was down. The white dress that she was wearing was shifting as her body would sway. But that was forgotten when Kurama saw the blood on her lips.

The bottom half of her face was crimson. Such an innocent girl, an entity, tainted with blood. It was a powerful image. It took the kitsune's breath away.

She never looked at the Rekai Tentei.

Yusuke yelled her name.

Kuwabara waved his arms.

Only Kurama stayed still.

She never let her eyes fall off of Hiei. Her savior. Her hope.

The Forbidden Child landed a thin slice down Amiri's face. The shape-shifter stumbled back, clutching his cheek. His golden eyes became ensnared in the crimson orbs of Hiei Jaganshi. Hiei didn't smile. His face was cold as ice.

"You are going to die here." Hiei began to move again, giving it his all. He was getting too close to Amiri. "Right here." Hiei's eyes never left Amiri's. "Right now."

Amiri shivered, despite the thick and heated air.

"Keep dreaming."

With that defiant, curt statement, Amiri transformed.

II

Botan's heart was pumping so hard she thought it was going to burst. Her and throat were dry. Her wrists hurt because of the shackles.

_Hiei! You can do it!_

Her toes brushed against the sharp stone. In the back of her mind, she heard Yusuke's voice. She couldn't bring herself to look away from the battle. All of her senses were on overload.

The coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

Sharp rocks that cut her feet. The sweat sticking to her skin and making the dress cling to her.

The smell of burning rock and the tips of her hair.

Hiei's katana that rang in the air.

The light that fell on everything in such a sinister way.

Like I said, her heart almost burst.

"Hiei..." Her voice was so hoarse that it wasn't audible. "_You can..."_

Her pink eyes fluttered.

_You are my black knight._

III

Hiei felt his blood boil as Botan appeared before him. Only this time it was different.

Her blue hair was up in a messy bun. Her pink eyes were lethal. In her mouth was a small dagger. She was wearing a blue satin kimono that ended above her knees.

Her lips curled. Amiri's teeth were revealed behind them.

"Try and touch me now. I _**dare **_you." He stepped backwards, wiggling his hips slightly, beckoning him with his finger. "Come and get me."

He took the dagger from his mouth and threw it at the fire demon. Hiei dodged it easily. He started to move forward when he felt a sting on his side. His eyes caught the dagger just in time. It flew back to the fake Botan's slender hand. He saw a thin string shining in the darkness.

"Hn."

Amiri smirked as Botan. He made her voice low and breathy. Seductive.

"It's a neat little trick, isn't it?" He ran the dagger over his lips, licking the blood off of them. "It's hard to master, but once you've got it down," Amiri cut along Botan's kimono. "it's really a blast."

Hiei disappeared. Amiri had just enough time to look up with a startled look on his face before he was sailing through the air. His right cheek was swelling and as he landed on the ground, Hiei was already on top of him, katana pressed up to his neck.

The demon could only breathe, eyes wide as he realized that this really was the end. He wasn't going to worm himself out of this one. Amiri slashed wildly at Hiei's chest, leaving a gash in his wake.

"_**Let's see how you recover from this!"**_

In a pulse of light, Amiri became Hiei. The Koorime stared at the shape-shifter. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara raced towards them, ready to help. Amiri held out his hand, and all three of them froze.

Hiei whirled around to see his friends engulfed in a purple light. His blood red eyes widened with horror as his friends slowly began to fade away, like dust in the wind. The fire demon rushed forward and cut the back of Amiri's ankles. Breaking the Achilles tendons. Hiei watched himself fall, screaming in pain.

"**What did you do to them?**" Hiei's voice was low and loud. So sharp that it could cut through a diamond. Amiri was trying to grab at his legs. "_**Tell me.**_" All the shape-shifter could do was spit in frustration and rage. "_**NOW!**_"

Hiei stepped on Amiri's hand, watching himself writhe in agony.

"T-they're u-u-up on the s-surface." He coughed up blood. His lips pulled back, revealing fangs. "I-I might be d-d-down... but i-it's not o-o-over." He closed his eyes and laughed. "Y-you are f-f-finished."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. In one swift, catlike move, his katana was sticking through Amiri, his heart pulsing and fading fast around the blade.

The Koorime breathed a little bit more easily, though the sight of himself dying was a bit unnerving. _This part is over._ Magma jumped up, eating at some rock. _What awaits me is what scares me._

IV

Botan's heart stopped. Her eyes were frozen on the beautiful macabre scene before her.

Hiei Jaganshi had plunged his katana through the Other Hiei's chest. His eyes were cold and narrow as he watched his own heart stop beating on the end of his sword. The Other Hiei's eyes were wide open with shock and pain, blood dripping from his open mouth. His fangs were shimmering with saliva. He was on his knees, his back slouched with defeat. Hiei finally pulled his katana out, the Other Hiei's body jerking before falling to the floor, dead.

"_H-Hiei..."_

Pink eyes leaked tears. She watched as Hiei sheathed his sword, his eyes still on himself. His **dead **self. Blood was on his hands. Some was leaking out from under his cloak. The ferry girl struggled against her shackles when his head turned and his eyes found hers.

"_Is that you...?"_

The Koorime, the Forbidden Child, began to take stiff, shaky steps towards Botan. The ferry girl stopped moving, her body swaying above the rock. Her lips were parted as he continued to get closer and closer to her.

"_Please... just tell me..."_

Hiei finally stepped on the ledge where Botan was being held. His eyes looked like his. His movements seemed like the fire demon that she knew. Her pink eyes watched him as he neared her. He was so close.

"_Please..."_

If he wasn't Hiei... Botan didn't know what she was going to do. His hands touched her arms. He frowned when he felt her trembling. He didn't say anything as he swiftly cut her chains, his katana whispering softly.

He caught her, easing her down as she slid to the ground. The ferry girl bit her lower lip as the two companions stared at each other. _Is he going to say something? Do something? _Hiei took off his white scarf. With his bandaged hand, he wiped the blood off of Botan's mouth. He tried to ignore her wide eyes.

"_Hiei...?"_

Still, he said nothing. Tears were still slowly falling. Botan didn't move as he touched the side of her face. His red eyes never broke contact with hers. Their faces were getting closer. His nose brushed hers.

_Is he going to–_

Her thoughts and doubts vanished when his lips pressed themselves against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut as she returned his kiss.

_My knight is back._

V

Malik removed his cloak. His long black hair cascaded down as he felt Amiri's energy fade and die. The demon felt nothing at the death of his follower. _He was just a pawn anyway. _Malik let his eyes travel to the doorway.

He was thrilled.

He had only a short amount of time left. Normally, this wouldn't have taken so long. But... Hiei seemed to be worthy of his time. A _**very **_nice specimen. Malik closed his eyes as he pictured just how this was going to end.

Botan... the purest soul in the three worlds... was going to die. Her pink eyes wide and her mouth open. The white dressed stained. Tears frozen forever in her eyes.

Hiei... death wouldn't be the right terminology for what was going to happen to him. Hiei was going to be used as something great. His eyes would only be dim for a matter of seconds. Then they would spark with a new life. Literally. A new life.

It was like a fast waltz. Everything would blur together, the colors blending and spiraling into one dizzying swirl. The music would be loud, the string instruments piercing and sharp. And suddenly everything would stop. The women's faces flushed. The men panting. But everything would be set right again.

That was what Malik was going to do.

Set things right.

VI

Kurama shivered. He pushed himself up. His head was pounding as he found Yusuke and Kuwabara sprawled on the ground. _Where are we? _He was sweating even through he was frigid. _Where's Hiei? Hell's Mouth?_

Kuwabara snorted and suddenly jerked up. His eyes narrowed and his orange hair was a mess.

"Kurama! Where's Hiei?"

The kitsune moved his fingers and toes. Pins and needles.

"He's still in Hell's Mouth."

The nigen's hand pulled at his face, a cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"No... no..."

Kurama took a few deep breaths of the cold air.

"What? What's so bad about that?"

_Besides the fact that he has a high chance of dying._

"He's going to... to... find out... about his... blood."

Kurama raised a red eyebrow.

"His blood?" It was chilling, and not because of the air. "What do you mean?"

Kuwabara never answered him. His eyes were just wide and full of terror.

VII

Botan was being held up by Hiei. He nibbled on her bottom lip, gently.

"It was my fault..."

The ferry girl laughed. It was half sob.

"No it wasn't!" She was speaking against his lips. "I knew... I knew deep down that you would come for me..."

Hiei's arms tightened around her.

"You'll never be alone again."

Those words made goose-bumps rise on Botan's arms. Her eyes closed. His voice wasn't changing. He wasn't choking up. But... that didn't matter. Not to the ferry girl. What mattered were his _words. _

She moved and kissed his forehead.

"It's... it's good to have you back."

Hiei released her, watching with self-loathing as she winced from her legs. Then he saw her eyes travel, widening with growing fear. He turned around to see a man. The demon was well built, his chest rippled with muscles. Dark red tattoos were on his stomach and arms. His hair touched the back of his knees.

"Hello, Hiei."

The Koorime felt a spine shattering jolt slam into his body. His blood froze. His face paled as the demon, who was taller and heavier than he was, began to step towards him. Botan slid to the ground, the pain in her legs and the sheer terror over riding her ability to stand.

"You should be happier to see me."

His voice was low. As he came closer, Hiei drew his katana, but he was slow. He couldn't help but stare. His tattoos... they struck a chord with him. Something was familiar about this man, but Hiei **knew **that he had never met him in his entire life. But still...

"Hiei, don't you know who I am?"

Parts of his body were rotting. It made Hiei's nose wrinkle and Botan put her hands over her nose and mouth. His skin was green in some places with decay. The really bad bits were grey and darkening to black.

Botan coughed.

"Hiei... I don't think you should..."

Hiei held up his hand, not liking the way Malik was looking at Botan. The Koorime moved so he was in front of the ferry girl. The top ferry girl of all Rekai. Her eyes drifted shut as her breathing began to get deeper, her hands rubbing her legs.

"Who the hell are you?"

The demon smirked. His tattoos glowed, pulsing. The temperature spiked upwards. Hiei's body shuddered because of the temperature. Out of the corner of his blood red eyes, he saw the ferry girl swoon and fall onto the hard rock, eyes closed.

"The name is Malik, but that is not really the important part of who I am to _you_."

Hiei's skin was crawling. His stomach was vibrating. _**Something**_ about this Malik was... off. Hiei felt this pull, deep inside of him. Like an invisible string at the very start of his belly button. Ice cold hands were squeezing his heart. His teeth were clenched together tightly.

"What are you to me?"

VIII

_Hina_ _shivered in the ground air. It wasn't cold, like the winds on the Island of the Koorime. It was warm, but it still gave her goose-bumps. _

_Her heart was pounding like a caught rabbit's. Hina knew she was doing something terrible. __**Forbidden**__. Her entire body was trembling in the warm air. She was wrapped in a robe as she walked the streets of Makai. She didn't plan on talking to anyone. The demons scared her. The males especially. _

_So... so... barbaric. Well, that was a bit of a cruel word. It was, however, the first word that came to her mind. _

_Things seemed so simple compared to the island. If they were hungry, they ate. If they were tired, they slept. If they were lusting... they... _

_Like she said, things were simple. _

_She went into a tavern, making sure to keep her hood up. The race of the Koorime had a very special look to them, and Hina didn't want anyone realizing just who she was. She ordered some kind of rare extract from a fruit. She had never had it before. _

_As she sipped her drink, a man sat down next to her. He too, was in a robe. She knew it was a man by his long and dangerous claws. Markings were on his arms. She tried not to stare... but she couldn't help it. _

"_Do you want to know what they mean?"_

_She jumped at his voice. She let out a squeak of embarrassment. Her hazel eyes were enwrapped in his. She could only see his eyes. _

"_I-I d-d-didn't m-mean to s-s-stare... I-I'm s-sorry.."_

_The man waved his hand, the long sleeve of his robe billowing. She heard a sigh exit his mouth, and it was like a half of a laugh._

"_Don't be." He let out a deep chuckle. "I've dealt with many rude remarks, believe me."_

_Hina allowed her shoulders to lower and her lips to curl._

"_Okay. Thanks." She sipped her drink. "What do they mean?"_

_He waved his fingers in the air, and a drink was given to him. He sipped it. She still couldn't see his face. She didn't mind. Maybe there was a reason that he was hidden. He could be ugly. Deformed. Or maybe he was like her. Hiding._

"_This one, right here, it means The Flame." He pushed the sleeve upwards. "There are bumps, engraved along the side. It's in the Ancient Tongue of Makai." He held the sleeve up. "Go ahead, feel it."_

_Such an invitation. Hina was shaking. She was nervous. Touching a real live demon. An unspeakable act. Or, more specifically, a Koorime blessing another with its touch. Hina bit her lip as she allowed her slender hand to be shown. Her fingers moved slowly and shakily to his arm. _

_They grazed his skin. She was still trembling like a leaf, and the man, the demon, touched her hand. He moved her fingers up and down the dark mark. _

"_And this one is Eternal." He moved to another stripe. "And this one, Darkness." He let her hand go, and she pulled away, but not before lingering a little longer. "They're ugly, I know..."_

"_No!" She put a hand over her mouth. "I mean... it's just that I've never seen anything like them before." She allowed herself to smile. "They're unique."_

"_Unique." He took a swig of his drink. "That's new." There was a silence. "You're not from around here, are you?"_

_Hina shook her head, her face still hidden by her hood. _

"_No."_

_The demon smirked. She could tell by his voice. _

"_You're not a nigen. You would have died before you even neared the bar." He tilted his head, as if trying to get a good look at her. Hina immediately let the hood slide farther down her face, hiding her completely. "And you can't be a spirit from Rekai." He had a tone to his voice, like he was wrinkling his nose. "They have this weird air to them."_

_He was quiet for a while. _

"_What kind of demon are you?"_

_Hina's shoulders rose again. _

"_I don't know."_

"_Yes you do."_

_Hina got up, leaving her drink unfinished. _

"_I should go."_

_She began to move quickly. The man stood up and grabbed her hand. It wasn't too tight, but enough for her to stop. _

"_You've never talked to another demon before, have you?"_

"_Let me go, please."_

"_You've never been in Makai, have you?"_

_Hina had tears of fear in her eyes. _

"_Please, just let me go!"_

"_Tell me, don't you ever get alone on that Island?"_

_The Koorime flushed and looked around, her heart pounding. _

"_Sh!"_

"_Is that why you came down? To talk to someone? To experience life a little?"_

_Hina yanked her hand away from the demon's. _

"_Leave me alone!"_

_She burst out of the bar, robe billowing behind her. She didn't even hear the door open behind her. She felt arms encircle her waist. _

"_I understand..." She tried to protest, but his heat... it was so alluring. "I know how you feel." He began to move her hood down. "A Koorime... I've only heard of them. I've never seen one."_

_His lips whispered against her neck. _

"_I... I can't... I'm not allowed."_

_He smiled against her neck. _

"_You're not allowed off of the Island either." He turned her around, his own hood down. His eyes gazed over her face. "It's true." He touched her cheek. "Koorime really are breathtakingly beautiful."_

_Hina blushed and looked down. _

"_Stop."_

"_No." He finally kissed her. Hina felt warmth flood her body for the first time. "Just... just live a little." He pulled back just to lead her down an alleyway. To a complex of buildings. "I'll show you things that your Island will never see." _

_Hina was losing herself. Fast. _

"_You will?"_

_He opened a door, where the only thing was a bed and a small closet. He took off his robe, revealing his bare chest and fighting pants. On his stomach were more tattoos. Hina kept her robe on as the demon took her hands and ran them over the tattoos. _

"_Divine Light." Another tattoo. "Forbidden." Her fingers traced the intricate lines. "Loyalty."_

_He kissed her again, slowly enticing her. In order to get a Koorime to co-operate, he was going to have to be patient. Hina couldn't help but moan softly. He slowly unclasped her robe. Her voice was breathy as she spoke against the demon's lips. _

"_W-what is y-y-your name?"_

_The demon began to untie her shirt. He was planting burning kisses down her neck. He was whispering something in a language she didn't understand. Hina could only remember slowly lowering herself to the bed, his nimble fingers doing away with her shirt. He finally answered her question as they began to lose themselves in each other. _

"_My name..." He was hovering over her, her lips numb and her cheeks bright red. Her eyes were glazed over and her hair was disheveled, but she was still all ears. "My name is Malik."_

IX

Hiei's red eyes widened as Malik brushed his raven locks out of his eyes. The Forbidden Child was cast into a never-ending abyss when he saw Malik's bright red eyes and sharp fangs.

"Hiei," His arms were open, as if inviting him for a hug. "I'm your Father."

X

A/N: Oof. Well, I'm back, and I hope this was an explosive way to come back to the Fanfiction world. Please, PLEASE review. Did you like Hiei's mother's past? Hina is her actual name (thanks to Wikipedia). Hiei's father has no name (thank God). So, yeah. Hope you liked the twist. Review please!

-mia


	11. Forgive Me Father, for I have Sinned

Not Okay : Forgive Me Father, for I have Sinned

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Keep on leaving them. Oh, and for Harry Potter fans, PLEASE give my Chronicles of Severus Snape a try. Please. I really love Severus Snape. I love his character and his true loyalty. So yeah, Read and Review!

I

Hiei frowned, trying to act as though his heart hadn't stopped and that his blood wasn't ice cold. He tried to ignore the worry that Botan was seriously ill and that she needed help right away. He tried not to think of Kurama, not to wonder if he was okay... hell, Hiei's thoughts even strayed to Kuwabara, of all people!

"No Father of mine would threaten an onna."

Malik looked past Hiei to Botan.

"Who? Her?" His eyes were hooded and one of his fangs showed as he smiled darkly. "I didn't know that she was so important to you, son."

Hiei unsheathed his katana, gritting his teeth.

"It shouldn't matter. Women shouldn't be harmed."

Malik gave half of an uninterested shrug.

"It won't matter. She won't be living long anyway."

Hiei went forward and brought down his sword. As he tried to swing it into the shoulder of his own Father, he heard a hiss. His crimson eyes widened as he watched his katana _**melt**_.

"What the –"

Malik reached through the hot molten magma and tightened his hand around Hiei's neck.

"I'm full _fire demon_." His red eyes burned into Hiei's eyes. The half fire half Koorime felt his heart rate increase as his skin began to bubble and burn. "My heat outdoes yours."

Hiei kicked out his legs, landing a good thrust into his Father's neck. The fire demon choked and took three steps back, clutching his neck. He gave a few wheezed coughs and his eyes watered.

"Son of a bitch."

Hiei's pupils shrank as he tapped into the power of the Dragon of Darkness Flame. His entire body trembled and his lips pulled back into a maniac smile. He felt... he felt like his good old self.

"Don't...call... her that."

He flew forward punching, kicking, slicing and biting. Anything he could to make Malik bleed. Of course, his Father didn't just stand there. When Hiei stepped back, he was burned on his chest and neck.

Hiei Jaganshi jumped into the air, bringing his leg down onto his Father's shoulder, making his legs buckle. Malik whipped around and grabbed Hiei's arms, holding him as he head-butted him.

"You know what I am going to do to you?"

Hiei was being risen into the air. His eyes were watering as he realized that his Father wasn't even touching him. He just gestured with his hand and his demonic energy strangled his son for him.

"Do you want to know why I needed the girl?"

Hiei's legs began to jerk.

"She's the purest soul in the Three Worlds. Did you know that?"

Hiei's eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

"That was why she was screaming. All those times when she would burn you was because I was in her mind. Trying to see if she was the _right _one."

Hiei was released, only to fall on the ground, coughing.

"_Right... for... what?"_

Malik kicked Hiei in the ribs. The fire demon sputtered and made an attempt to scratch the demon. Instead of actually touching his Father, his skin began to melt away.

"I've been around for a long time." His eyes traveled to the ferry girl who was passed out on the dry rock. "The trick to immortality is two things. Offspring and sacrifice."

Hiei was lifted into the air once more, his head being slammed against the rock. He wasn't being choked off enough to pass out. Whatever his Father was planning, he wanted Hiei to be awake to see it.

"Botan is going to be killed. By me." A ghostly chill ran up Hiei's spine. "She is the pure one. She is the key to me getting my new body." He licked his claws that were covered in Hiei's blood. "You."

II

Hiei twisted and ran straight for his Father. He was burned, but he didn't stop. He didn't _**dare **_stop. He scratched Malik's neck. He didn't hit the jugular vein, but it was enough to make him close his eyes in pain.

That was when he started laughing.

"Hiei, Hiei, Hiei." His hands were covered in his leaking bodily fluid. "When will you get it?" When his hands were taken away from his neck, there was no blood. Not even a scratch. "I'm invincible."

Hiei felt his stomach drop. His face was stone cold, but he was starting to get panicky.

"That's what they all say."

Father and son were about to go at it again when they were blinded by the whitest light they had ever seen. As Hiei dropped to the ground, the oddest memory came to him. He blinked slowly as he saw a figure coming to him as his mind took over.

III

"_I've never __**seen **__such sophisticated white magic!"_

_Hiei frowned as he lifted his hands. His wrists were shackled and he was pretty pissed about it. __**Stupid detective. Stupid detective's mate. Stupid kitsune.**_

_It wasn't fair. _

_What really wasn't fair was the fact that he __**still **__was unable to figure out the baka ferry onna. What she had done back at the warehouse was incredible. Hiei Jaganshi rarely gave compliments, and she was one of the few recipients. _

_White magic... _

_That was it. It wasn't white magic at all. Hiei smirked as he looked at his guards. __**Well... I'm not going to stick around here and wonder about it. **__With a flick of his wrists, the shackles fell off of him. All it took was a gleam of his blood red eyes and the guards were dead. _

_Hiei knew he was going to be in deep shit, but he already was. He had nothing to lose._

_His Jagan Eye was open and it got a lock on the onna's energy. With lightening speed that the Gods would be envious of, Hiei sped across Ningenkai. _

_He finally came to a small cottage. His eyebrows furrowed as he came closer. It was her energy, but it was weaker than when he last encountered her. He picked the door open and went inside. _

_His bare feet were silent on the wooden floor. Using his ears, nose, and Jagan Eye, he turned left and went down to what seemed to be one of the main rooms. He saw her siting in a chair, soaking her hands. _

_As she looked up at him, he saw that she was crying._

"_Hiei? What are you __**doing **__here–"_

_Hiei flitted so that he was inches away from her, a finger on her lips. _

"_Quiet, baka onna."_

_He looked down at the water and almost jumped away from her when he saw her hands. _

_They were blistered and black in some spots. He stuck his finger in the water and with a pop, the entire basin had evaporated. Her pink eyes never left his, her breaths coming quickly, but she was silent about it. _

"_Onna." She never flinched. "What happened to your hands?"_

_The onna, Hiei believed that her name was Botan, tried to cover them up. Now that the water wasn't obstructing his vision, he saw that there were wrinkles twisting up and down her arms. They were bruised and badly burned. _

"_It's... nothing." She glared at him. "Aren't you supposed to be in prison?"_

_Hiei ignored her question._

"_Your hands were not like that when you were healing the baka detective's mate." He touched her hands, only for a fleeting moment. "This is not an ordinary injury." He didn't allow her to look away, his Jagan still open and glowing. "How did you slow the demonification_ _process?"_

_The ferry girl stuck out her chin and stood. _

"_I can't tell you that. Sorry."_

_Hiei was about to step forward. He was going to knock her unconscious with his Jagan Eye and then read her mind, so his curiosity would be quenched. _

_But the damn Rekai prison guards had come for him. With a loud bang and a few things broken, not to mention two wrists and a toe, Hiei Jaganshi was bound and gagged. _

_His eyes pierced the onna's, who had a look on her face that said, 'Serves you right'. _

_**Onna, you are going to tell me. Sooner or later, I'm going to be able to wield a power like that.**_

_So Hiei was thrown back into prison. No big deal. He got roughed up a bit, but he just spit in their faces. Everyone was a fool. _

_He only agreed to help out Koenma because it was more interesting than just sitting in a damp cell for all of eternity. _

_That was when he saw the ferry onna again. When he rescued Yukina. After everything was said and down, she debriefed Yusuke and Kuwabara. Then she turned to Yukina, grinning from ear to ear. _

"_Yukina! It's so nice to see you out of harms way." She offered her hand. "My name is Botan, and Koenma has allowed you to stay with me at my house."_

_Yukina had released her hand and threw her arms around the ferry girl's neck, tear gems falling onto the ground. _

"_Oh, Botan! Thank you so much!"_

_The ferry girl was only a bit flustered, but she just smiled and said that it was okay. She would do anything for a friend. _

_That was when her eyes slowly flickered to Hiei's. He narrowed his eyes as he communicated with her using telepathy. _

_**Your hands are better.**_

_She didn't say anything and just slipped her arm around Yukina and led her away, summoning her oar and offering Yukina a spot._

IV

Botan's eyes opened slowly. She was so... hot. She was going to die. She knew it. She coughed and blood came up.

_Hiei... he's going to die... I can't... I can't let that happen to him._

Her hands scrambled for a sharp rock. When she found one, she cut into her skin, hissing as the granite made her flesh sting. Blood dripped thickly onto the rock.

Using her pointer finger, the ferry girl drew a circle with her blood. Panting, she swiped her wound again. Like a painter, she drew a star inside the circle. It was what nigens would call a pentagram. It was what Rekai spirits called a last resort.

"_Rekai, your faithful servant is asking you one last time to use your power." _Her heart fluttered, and not in the good and natural way. In the cardiac arrest way. _"Please, I, Botan the ferry girl am asking you for your help." _The blood pentagram began to glow. _"Use me to my full potential." _Light poured out, going **into **the ferry girl. _"Give me __**all **__of your power." _She took in a long breath. _"__**I give myself to you.**__"_

Then all went white.

V

Malik squinted. He couldn't see a goddamn thing. He hissed as his skin began to burn and peel away. That got his attention. _What the fuck... I'm a __**fire **__demon!_ His claws began to itch. He saw his son cough on the ground.

_What the hell is going on?_

VI

Hiei opened his eyes. He felt someone touching him. Their hands were cold. It felt good against his burned skin. Their touch felt like water. Smooth... calm.

"Relax."

Hiei's eyes shot open.

"Botan?"

She didn't answer as his body was flooded with an odd tingling sensation that ended with a frosty chill. He knew what happened. She had healed him again... but it was different from the last time. Before it had been slow, like she was concentrating on only healing him and then powering down.

She wasn't powering down this time.

He got up and turned to her as the light began to dim so it was only outlining her. Her eyes were pure white and her hair was out of its ponytail. It danced wildly around her as though there was a ferocious wind.

There wasn't even a breeze.

"Are you ready, Hiei?"

Hiei frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Her voice was different. It was very wispy. Like the voice of an angel.

"Let's take this guy out." Her pure white eyes moved to his own. "Come on."

Hiei watched Malik's eye shoot open. He was obviously not expecting this.

"What they hell are you doing, Botan? What did you do?" She looked over her shoulder and Hiei followed her gaze to the blood pentagram on the ground. The blood drained from his face. "You _**sacrificed **_yourself? Why? To who?"

He was angry, his flat voice sparking. He grabbed her wrist. She shrugged.

"That's what friends do."

She vanished and Hiei saw that she reappeared by Malik's side. He tried to scratch her, but when he pulled his hand back, frost had settled on it.

"Hiei..."

The Forbidden Child saw her face. It was calm, but her hands were shaking.

"Hn."

"Summon your Dragon of Darkness Flame." She bowed her head. "It's the only way."

Hiei was silent as he clutched his right arm and screamed as the black tattoo grew more vivid and began to move. His eyes almost rolled into the back of his head, but he felt a cold hand on the back of his neck. When the Dragon was out, roaring, he turned to the ferry girl. She nodded, and Hiei sent it after Malik.

The fire demon roared as he attempted to absorb it, just as Hiei and done in the Dark Tournament.

That was when Botan reached out and _touched _the Dragon. Hiei watched as the Dragon of Darkness Flame turned snow white. Malik let out a scream as purity consumed him, his soul of sin unable to corrupt the pure.

He was gone, and the White Dragon dissipated.

Hell's Mouth rumbled, the entirety of it shaking. Hiei saw Botan's hands jerking. Her eyes looked at him and she tried to smile.

"Bingo."

The light vanished and her pink eyes came back. But as soon as Hiei saw them, they rolled back into her skull, her entire body going limp. Hiei grabbed her and began to run out of the cavern of bubbling magma. Boulders fell from the roof of the cave and lava was shooting up from the floor.

"Onna!" Hiei sprinted. "Botan! Stay with me!"

He reached the dark entrance and he leaped up into the cold air of Makai.

VII

Hiei ran a few dozen paces before falling to his knees. His heart was pounding as he turned back to look at Hell's Mouth. An otherworldly roar bellowed from the deep and magma shot up into the sky with a deafening crack. The cave imploded on itself, sinking into the depths of Makai.

The Forbidden Child turned to the ferry girl, pinching her cheek.

"Botan! Come on, baka! Don't toy with me!"

He shook her. Her neck was so loose and her hair was falling over her face. Hiei suddenly went very... very... cold.

He dropped her onto the ground. She didn't make a sound. He started to breathe faster. Just like when he had been running too fast at the beginning of his twisted tale. His chest heaved as his clawed fingers felt up her neck.

Nothing.

Hiei let out a strangled wheeze as he pressed his lips to her forehead. She was clammy cold.

_**No. **_

He pinched her nose shut and pressed his lips against hers, breathing for her. He forced demonic energy to course through her. She pulsed once, but didn't maintain herself.

Hiei held her close to him, his chest rising up and down faster and faster. He was getting dizzy as he hugged her tightly. Fiercely.

_That's what friends do._

Hiei's neck snapped back as he let out a bellow into the heavens.

VIII

Koenma felt a heart stopping tug. His entire body trembled, and when it was done, the Prince was left weak and pale. He clutched his heart as he teleported.

He appeared by Kurama. By this time, the Prince of Hell was crying.

"Kurama? I thought you were in Hell's Mouth."

The kitsune was spaced out.

"We were forced out. Amiri made us appear here."

Kuwabara and Yusuke saw the Prince and they bounded over.

"What's wrong with you?"

With tears running down his pasty face, Koenma looked like he had caught cancer.

"My power is gone."

Yusuke's mouth dropped open.

"What?"

Koenma sighed.

"All of it. Half of Dad's too." He wiped cold sweat from his forehead. "Botan is using it."

All was silent.

"She can do that?"

"Yes. But it's... it's not recommended using Rekai power. It recoils."

Everyone was silent for a long time. It was about twenty minutes when Koenma gasped and the color flushed back to his face. The sweat was gone and his eyes held their old sparkle again. He rubbed his face.

"It's back."

That was when they heard a primal scream. Their heads turned to see two people. They were far away, but that didn't matter.

IX

"Hiei! Hiei, what happened?"

The Forbidden Child was clutching Botan like she was his favorite toy. His eyes, however, told a different story. They were self-destructive. Loathsome. Suicidal.

"_She's dead."_

Yusuke and others all felt it. A cold squeeze on their heart. A wave of ice cold water slamming into them.

"B-but."

That was when Koenma saw a mark on her arm. Her skin was cut open.

"She... she sacrificed herself."

Hiei stood and gave the ferry girl to Koenma.

"Hn." He kept on looking up, like he didn't want to meet anyone's eyes. "I... I told her not to do it... for me... ever again."

Kurama felt his eyes travel down to the ground. His eyes widened when tiny little spheres clinked to the ground.

_Tink._

_Tink._

X

A/N: _**ATTENTION! NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! **_Oh, and uh, sorry about the terrible cliffy. But hey... REVIEW! rawr. Is this blackmail? No. Not technically lol. Okay, look, I know that it was really sad... but... if you review, I will update and when I update, I will turn those frowns upside down. Review please.

-mia

p.s. Was anything out of sort to you? OCCness? Lame lines? Tell me please! I need to know so I can sleep at night.

P.s.s. I just got my wisdom teeth out and... what a weird experience! I opened my eyes twice during the procedure, but that's all I remember!


	12. Martyr of Rekai

Not Okay : Martyr of Rekai

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Please, if you like or don't like it, tell me. Flames are most certainly welcome. Um, yeah so please read and review. Thanks.

I

It was like time slowed. Like it does in action films when something terrible happens to the main character. When every breath lasts about five minutes. When every sense in your body becomes so much sharper and defined.

Yusuke stared down at the ferry girl. One of his best friends. She looked like she was sleeping. Her eyes closed but not squeezed shut. No pain frozen on her face. In fact... there was a slight curve to her lips. A sad smile forever gracing her face.

Kurama didn't want to believe it. He saw her. He smelled her. He even could feel the lack of energy. She had none left. But... but... he still couldn't bring himself to just... to just brush Botan off so quickly.

Kuwabara began to cry. His nose was running and his fists were clenched as he sobbed loudly. He sounded like a child who lost his mother.

Koenma was different. Instead of sobbing or becoming torn apart by grief, he just kneeled down beside his best friend. His prized ferry girl. He brushed some hair out of her eyes, smiling faintly. Like he was reminiscing about all the times that they had been through. Living through the good and the bad.

He kissed her forehead, and as he did, he squeezed his eyes shut and began to pray.

II

_She's dead. _Hiei was desperately trying to stop the tear gems from falling out of his eyes. _After all of that... _He saw Botan standing above him, her eyes closed in concentration as she healed him. Taking away his pain. _After... everything... _The Forbidden Child froze as the memory of her lips against his surfaced. _She... she died. _Her last words. Her last expression. Everything. _**For me...**_

Hiei Jaganshi, legendary Makai Thief known for his lack of compassion and maniacal nature, refused to look at her. He couldn't.

Because... because that would mean that he accepted the fact that she was dead and gone. Which, to him, she wasn't. Hiei's legs began to shake.

_Because__** no one **__sacrifices themself for the Forbidden Child. _

_**No one.**_

He felt Kurama's green eyes on him. Hiei didn't meet them. He wanted to do so many things. His instincts were like birds, clawing at him.

Hiei wanted to turn around and see the baka ferry onna. To see her alive and smiling.

He wanted to turn around and see her dead. To go up to her and hug her tightly, damned if his friends see him or not.

He also wanted to run. Run as far away as he could and just... just...

Die.

It was the least he could do, really. As more tear gems fell onto the dry, cracked ground, Hiei felt his own chest tighten. As if it were collapsing on itself. A burst of tear gems fell, and he knew it was hopeless to think that no one noticed.

That was when he heard low chanting. Hiei, wiping his eyes rapidly, using the back of his arm, turned and finally looked at Botan. Who was under Koenma.

III

"To _you_, our Lord, who is merciful and kind." Koenma breathed against her forehead. "To _you_, our savior, our Father. Our God." Modest tears dripped from his nose onto her skin that still shimmered with sweat. "Oh Father, please, recognize a martyr when you see one. Reward your child. Praise her."

His eyes opened. He had seen it. The light of his Father.

"Raise her."

IV

Kurama tried to catch Hiei's eyes, but he refused. He knew that Hiei was... crying. The fox didn't know whether he should mourn with him, or if he should be proud of him.

It was all just too overwhelming. Yusuke blinking the tears away. Kuwabara just letting himself loose and crying his eyes out. And Hiei... Hiei Jaganshi shedding tear gems.

The kitsune watched Koenma bend over his closest friend. His lips pressed against her forehead tightly. His eyes clamped shut. After he moved his lips so that they were just hovering above her, he began to talk. In a low and breathy voice.

And tears began to fall.

V

Hiei was lightheaded as a light... small, but still there, appeared. It was in the center of her chest. A tiny sphere. It was pure white, but sparks of colors flew off of it. Koenma stood and backed away slowly.

The ferry girl's body rose into the air. The sphere sizzled and popped. The Rekai Tentei were silent, mouths open and eyes wide as the ball of light sank deep into Botan's body.

Her pink eyes flashed open, her lips open in an O of surprise. In that moment, her eyes jerked around until she found Hiei. Their eyes met. For that short moment, Hiei's entire body relaxed. For that short moment, time stopped entirely.

Then she closed her eyes and fell to the ground. She was out cold, her chest rising and falling with newfound life. Now... she really was only sleeping.

Yusuke fell to the ground, his knees deciding to not support him any more. Kuwabara sniffed loudly, getting the mucus back up into his nasal cavities. Kurama felt his lungs empty themselves as he watched with blurry eyes as Botan breathed. Koenma closed his eyes and tilted his head backward, his face slack in delight and satisfaction.

That was when time started.

Already Yusuke was turning his head, to look at Hiei. To question. To be angry.

But... when the detective turned... Hiei was gone.

VI

"There, that should be good." Koenma smacked his hands together and arched his back, cracking it. "How do you like it?"

Botan gazed around her house. She had been there just a few days ago, but it felt like she hadn't stepped foot inside in centuries. She ran her fingers over the walls, the wood, and the windows. Her entire house was repaired. All the damages that Amiri had caused... were gone.

It had been about two weeks since she had been brought back to life.

"It's great." They walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She opened the door, half expecting the bed to be left in ruins without the sheets. However, it seemed that Koenma had given her a new bed instead. "I love it."

She sat down on the bed and bounced a bit. Koenma bowed and left. The ferry girl looked out the window, still on her three month vacation. She got up and opened the window, staring out into the night sky.

In these two weeks of being alive, Botan hadn't heard from Hiei. Not once.

VII

Branches of trees kept hitting Kurama in the face. The sting that they brought to his skin only drove him on further in his quest. His red hair was full of thorns and his face had greasy dirt smeared across it.

The fox had been on his little "journey" for five days.

His mouth was dry and he smelled a little like curdled milk. He finally came to a clearing... to his goal.

There, on the ground, on his knees, was Hiei Jaganshi. His head bent forward and his arms away from him. His eyes were closed, and judging by the lethargic pace at which his lungs expanded, he was asleep.

Unconscious was a better word for it.

Kurama stumbled out of the foliage, wiping sweat off of his brow using the back of his sleeve. He marched over to his best friend and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at him.

He didn't wake up.

Without a flicker of hesitation or remorse, Kurama pulled his hand back, like a batter preparing to hit a home run. In a fiery thrust, the kitsune's hand made brutal contact with Hiei's face.

Red eyes flashed open as Kurama released him.

"What the hell, Kurama...?"

Hiei rubbed the side of his face, and that was when Kurama saw his hands. They were all bloodied up, his knuckles mainly. As he rubbed his cheek, sticky red patches were left behind.

"What did you do to yourself?"

The Koorime looked away and the fox followed his eyes to the trees. They were broken in half.

"Just training." They both knew that it was complete bullshit. Hiei liked to keep himself in peak condition. That meant no scarred up hands. "What do you want?"

Kurama swallowed some saliva that had been building up in his mouth.

"I've been trying to find you for five days."

He was hoarse.

"I know."

A silence. Kurama sat down, cracking his neck. He reached into a pouch on his back and pulled out a canteen. He sipped it and then sighed.

"Want some?" The fire demon shook his head. "You've been avoiding me." No answer. "She's back, living and good as new." Hiei now looked away, picking away at the frayed skin on his knuckles. "Koenma fixed her house. She's got a three month vacation. Everything is back to normal."

Kurama stared at Hiei. Hiei stared at his hands.

"Botan... she died because of me." Kurama might have been able to move his face into an astonished expression when Hiei used Botan's name, but he had been traveling for five straight days without sleep. "I don't want..." Kurama leaned forward. "I don't want her to die again."

The fox had a small smile on his face.

"Before I left to find you, I stood outside of Botan's window." He coughed. "She was crying." Hiei met Kurama's eyes, glaring. Silently telling him that if he was lying, Kurama was a dead man. "She never said anything the entire time, but she cried herself to sleep that night."

Hiei ripped off a particularly large piece of skin.

"I... I..."

Even in his flat voice, no emotion crossing those sound waves, Hiei's stone face broke. His lips curled downwards and his eyes were hooded. Kurama's hand reached out and touched his best friend's shoulder. Hiei looked up into the fox's eyes.

"You're a good demon, Hiei." The fire demon couldn't decide whether to snarl at Kurama and tell him to get his hand off of him or to bite his lip in confusion. "You'll know what to do."

With that, Kurama rolled onto the balls of his feet, his hand sliding off of Hiei's skin. His legs strained with aches and pains. He stood, stretched, and walked off.

As Kurama staggered back into the woods, he felt Hiei's eyes on him the whole way.

_You'll know what to do. _A smile spread across his worn, dry, and cracked lips. _And when you go back to her, you better face the fact that you love her._

VIII

Botan couldn't sleep. She wasn't going to cry. She knew... deep down she knew that she wasn't going to see Hiei again. She was romantic, but not delusional. The ferry girl walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She didn't want coffee. Nor milk. In fact, the ferry girl didn't want anything. She sat down at the table and stared at the digital clock.

11:57 p.m.

Was Hiei mad at her?

_Maybe because... he told me not to summon Rekai powers again... and I... and I did anyway._

She pressed her finger down on the mark made on her hand. The mark of a martyr. The pentagram on the inside of her right wrist. Her pink eyes were dry. She wasn't going to cry over the inevitable.

_Hiei is Hiei. Not Prince Charming. Not my knight in shining armor. _Her lips twitched. She might have smiled if things were different. _Although... maybe he can be my regular knight. No shining armor. Just cape and katana. _

11:58 p.m.

She immediately ceased her thoughts.

_No. Hiei Jaganshi is Hiei Jaganshi. He saved my life, on multiple_ _occasions, but that doesn't mean anything. He's saved others before._

Botan finally had to do _**something**_ so she started to boil water for the tea. She twisted the knob on the oven so it was up to high.

_Should I look for him? _She really was torturing herself. _No... just... let him go. He's better off. _

11:59 p.m.

_To think that... for a little bit... I was in lo–_

The tea kettle whistled. The ferry girl frowned. It was fast. Almost too fast. She got up and turned off the flame. Pulling out a pot holder, she grasped the metal hanger.

"_Ow_!"

She pulled back and bit her lip. The pot holder fluttered to the floor. She stared at it, realizing that the kettle had burned a hole right through it.

Pulling out three more potholders, the ferry girl picked it up, smirking in triumph as it didn't burn her again. She poured the water into the teapot and dropped two tea bags in.

She soon had a cup of tea in her hand.

12:00 a.m.

Botan blew on the tea. It was going to be an all nighter. She could tell already. She was about to cautiously sip the drink. That was when she heard the front door slam open.

The ferry girl flinched. She didn't even have time to shout when Hiei flickered into her vision.

Her cup shattered to the ground.

The two companions stared at each other. Botan couldn't breathe. It was the... the first **real** time that she had seen him since she was brought back to the world of the living. His hands were wrapped in his bandages, but the wrappings were soggy and black, the colored of dried blood.

"H-Hiei?" His eyes never left hers. "What are you doing here?"

IX

Hiei's Jagan Eye was open, and he knew that he was making her house hotter than usual with his concentration and anxiety. He kicked open the door, breaking it off at the hinges.

And... he appeared right there. Staring into her pink eyes.

Just the sight of her made the throbbing stinging in his hands go away. He was able to breathe again.

"H-Hiei? What are you doing here?"

The baka didn't even notice the broken glass on the floor, and she stepped forward. Hiei practically tackled her. He ended up crunching the shards beneath his shoes, holding her back.

"Hn. Baka ferry onna."

She had been biting her lip. Holding something back. Her face, which had once been calm and collected, broke. She backed away from him and covered her face with her hands. Hiei smelled the rush of tears before they actually came.

"I-It f-f-f-figures! I-I-I've w-worried about y-you!" She hiccuped and wheezed in a breath. Hiei's eyes slowly began to widen. What Kurama saw... wasn't even half of what she was feeling. Her back was turned to him. Slouched. "Y-You said y-y-y-you'd n-never l-l-l-leave m-me."

_Kami... onna don't cry over me._

"If you were worried, why didn't you try to find me?"

Inwardly, the Koorime winced at the harsh statement. It was cold. Stone cold. Botan took her hands away, her face red with tears.

"B-because I t-thought you were m-m-mad at m-me."

She heaved when she talked. Her anger, her confusion, grief, disappointment, and something else so powerful it was tearing her apart. Hiei, however, was taken aback. _**Mad**_ at _**her?**_ Was she insane?

"Baka onna." She sniffed and swallowed her sobs. She was gaining control again, her face flushing red with embarrassment. She was wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeves. "Why would I be mad at you?"

His voice was still unwavering. Flat. As usual. She was trembling as she smiled for a short while.

"W-well... because... you didn't want me to use R-Rekai p-power and I d-d-did anyway."

_Baka._

He brought a hand up to her face.

"You're delusional."

He smirked, to tell her that it was okay to laugh. And she did reward with him a giggle. She touched his hand and Hiei had no time to react before a flash of white light and a quick cooling sensation made the pain in both of his hands disappear.

"I've gotten new privileges as a martyr." She was trying not to grin. "I can tap into Rekai's power without conse–"

She was cut off by Hiei's lips. His face was slowly turning pink and Botan was already glowing red. He couldn't help it. He needed to tell her... show her.

Slowly pulling back, he smirked at her startled expression.

"What? We've done this before, onna."

He was teasing her. A game that she now knew of. The game that he had played with her since he met her.

"But... but that was just to let me know if Amir–"

Another bruising kiss. He licked at her bottom lip and she opened her mouth slightly. They were so caught up in the moment that Botan's hands stopped trembling. She moaned and then squeaked, ashamed of herself.

Hiei pulled back, and he was feeling so much _better. _He smirked, his infamous smirk, and snorted softly. He picked her up and he carried her to the bedroom, smiling. As he opened the door, Botan's arms tightened around his neck.

"I missed you."

The fire demon closed his eyes as he nipped her the skin on her exposed shoulder, gently placing her on her bed. The pain from his hands were gone, but he still remembered its sting. _Onna, if only you knew. _

His arms slid down to circle her waist. His eyes closed as they simply shared an embrace.

"I missed you too, Botan."

_You'll never be alone..._

X

That night, Hiei gave Botan compassion. It could have been a wild, passionate night, but all that transpired was kisses. Caresses. Promises. Whispers.

That night, they did sleep together. In each other's arms. Though, Botan slept first. Hiei stayed awake for just a little bit longer. He heard the onna... _**his **_onna moan and snuggle deeper into his chest.

His left arm pulled her close. His blood red eyes drifted shut, inhaling the scent of her hair. He couldn't even hear his heart as his breathing slowed. He was at peace.

Eternal Nirvana.

XI

_One year later_

Yusuke's eyes were clouded with wine. The lights were hazy and with his arm around the waist of his mate, Keiko. They were engaged. To be wed by nigen ritual.

Kurama and Shizuru were laughing by their side. Kuwabara and Yukina talking with Keiko. Koenma was listening in on Yusuke's conversation, Genkai standing next to him, nodding sagely.

But... the reason that the ex-detective's eyes were wandering from the faces of his friends was because of a certain pair hadn't shown. Not quite yet.

"Hey, Kurama." The fox looked up at the tipsy detective. "When do you think Hiei and Botan will get here?"

The half fox demon half nigen simply shrugged. His green eyes twinkled under the moonlight, and the detective happened to know why. Even _if _his foxy friend didn't tell him.

He saw Hiei's face the day Botan died.

Yusuke had never seen such torment. Such self hatred. Such... such... _**love.**_

A creak. The crack of wood against the side of his house. The screech of the rusted hinges rubbing against each other as the gate to their yard swung open. And there they were.

The fireflies of summer lit their way, the way of the new couple. The new mates.

Hiei had his black overcoat on, and he had fashioned himself a new katana. And Botan, she was wearing a pale yellow summer dress.

The detective watched with alcohol enhanced eyes as they walked forward. Hiei heading for Kurama. Botan heading for... everyone.

Hiei's neck was covered with a scarf, but Botan's was not. On the patch of skin where shoulder meets neck was a scar. Pale. Made a while ago. A demon mating mark.

XII

Kurama and Hiei slowly backed away so that they were alone. The old friends smiled at each other.

"Glad I got you to listen?"

"Hn. Like that would have mattered."

Kurama's hands slid into his pockets as he rolled on his heels.

"You've made her yours."

Hiei nodded.

"I have."

His crimson eyes slowly slid away to watch her laugh, sipping some wine.

"How long have you loved her?"

Her pink eyes, glittering like the stars themselves, met his. And she smiled. A true, pure hearted smile.

"In a way... since I first met her." Her annoyingly optimistic persona made him obsess over her. Obsessive so far that hatred turned to curiosity in a matter of minutes. When he saw her work her magic on Yusuke's mate. That was how fast he was ensnared by her. "It feels like... almost... that's she's always been there."

Botan ran over, and as she dragged a dark and growling Hiei towards what looked to be a beckoning Yusuke.

Kurama lingered back for a moment. Hiei's hand slipped into Botan's. His right into her left. When their skin touched, their eyes met once more. And for that short moment, a split second in the never ending river of time, Hiei visibly softened. His shoulders relaxed and his lips curled into a smile. Not a mixture between a smirk and a smile. A true, blue moon smile.

His face slackened and his eyes held a new light to them. Botan bit her lip, and her hand squeezed his lightly.

Then time sped up, and Hiei's smile faded into a grimace as Yusuke grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. Botan's eyes were torn from her mate's as Keiko began to talk animatedly to her.

Hiei and Botan, they really were under true love's spell.

Yusuke fell over, and everyone rushed to his side. That was when Hiei went on tip toe and Botan leaned down. Their lips connected, and they shared a semi secret kiss. Kurama's eyes became hooded as Yusuke turned to see the two ensnared in their moment.

Loud whoops and uncontrollable laughter came from Yusuke and Kuwabara.

_All in all, it seems like we've always had each other... since the very beginning._

_The End_

XIII

A/N: Sorry for lack of warning, but this IS the last chapter. Sorry. I'm so sad to let it go, but it's all good. I just finished watching The Fountain with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weiss. Oh man, I was crying the entire time. Anyway, please tell me what you think. I think it got sad, but I charmed it up. But... was I missing something? I might be paranoid, but I can't help but think that I might have just forgot a touch of _**something. **_If you know what it is, please tell me in a review. Review!

-mia

p.s. Also, just whatever you thought of the last chapter would be nice. Thank you!


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